Dutch police investigate the death of soccer player Jody Lukoki, who died at the age of 29

The Dutch police investigate the circumstances of the death of the Dutch soccer player of Congolese origin Jody Lukoki, who died this Monday at the age of 29.

According to the national press, the former Ajax and FC Twente player was involved in an altercation with members of his family during a party in Almere, a town near Amsterdam.

Lukoki received several blows there and had to go to the hospital with severe pain in his knee.

Doctors there found that his leg was infected, so it had to be amputated.

Shortly afterward, while in an induced coma, Lukoki suffered a fatal heart attack.

Our former player Jody Lukoki has passed away at the age of 29.

Rest in Peace, Jody 🤍

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) May 9, 2022

This Tuesday, spokesmen for the Police of the Center of the Netherlands (Midden-Nederland, in Dutch), have confirmed the complaint "of an altercation" and also that an autopsy of the body will be carried out to find out the causes of death.

The agent representing the player has indicated that he does not yet know why he died.

According to the newspaper

, which cites sources from the family environment, two of his cousins ​​and a friend clashed with Lukoki, who last summer had a serious injury to the cruciate ligament in his knee.

The media adds that the soccer player died when the doctors were preparing to also amputate an arm.

Last February, the board of FC Twente, a club in the Dutch first division, terminated the contract with the athlete when he was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend.

Lukoki had to complete 80 hours of community service and was on probation with a suspended sentence of 3 years.

During this probationary period he was to be under supervision.

Since then, he trained on his own to recover from the injury.

Ajax have mourned his death on their official Twitter account, and the team will hold a minute's silence in his memory this Wednesday on the pitch.

The players will also wear a mourning armband during the scheduled match against Heerenveen.

At FC Twente, for their part, they have been "surprised and very moved by this tragedy".

Spokespersons for PEC Zwolle, another club where he also played, say that he "will always be remembered as a goalscorer" and wish "strength to those close to him."

Trained as a player by Ajax's own academy, where he played 35 games, Lukoki was also at Ludogorets, from Bulgaria, and Malatyaspor, from Turkey.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he moved to the Netherlands with his family when he was little.

He made his debut in 2011 and was part of Ajax when the club won three national titles in a row.

With Ludogorets he won the national championship five times and participated in the Champions League.

He was also part of the national team of his country of origin.

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