Ipswich RFC retire shirt number and offer condolences after death of Arturas Rudys

A sports club have will retire a shirt number after the death of a player in a game at the weekend.

Arturas Rudys, aged 27, died after suffering a cardiac arrest whilst playing for Wisbech Rugby Club against Diss RFC on Saturday, October 14.

Now, Ipswich RFC, based at Humber Doucy Lane, has passed on its condolences and announced it will retire the number 14 shirt in this weekends game against Wymondham.

It will also be retired for the club’s games against Wisbech later in the season.

Club chairman Mike Hancock said: “We send our deepest condolences to the family, friends and rugby companions of Arturas Rudys and all at Wisbech Rugby Club.

"We will retire our 14 shirt for this Saturday's match vs Wymondham and our matches vs Wisbech later on in the season as a sign of respect."

Another Suffolk club, Thurston Rangers, also expressed their condolences after the incident, having been through a similar tragedy in 2017.

Emergency services responded to calls that Mr. Rudys had collapsed during a match in Chapel Road, Wisbech, on Saturday.

East of England Ambulance Service said Mr Rudys was in cardiac arrest and responders carried out CPR, including using a defibrillator.

However, he could not be resuscitated and died at the scene.

A statement on Wisbech Rugby Club’s website said that Mr Rudys had joined the club in 2013 and that it was in touch with his family to offer support.

A GoFundMe set up by his girlfriend, Jolita, after the incident has now raised over £21,000, with nearly 750 different donations.

In a message on the page, Jolita says that she ‘can’t give up’ and has to keep going to show the right path to their child, Emiljus, who is two years old.