Lars Gansauer, the UAE national team’s video analyst and statistician, died of a heart attack during the team’s training at the Zayed Sports City on Sunday.
The Swiss was a close associate of national team coach Mahdi Ali, who had apparently recommended him during his tenure as the U19 national team coach, and employed by the FA since 2008.
Walter travelled with Mahdi Ali to the London Olympics and previously assisted him at the 2009 U20 World Cup in Egypt, U23 Gulf Cup in 2010 and Asian Games in the same year.
The FA expressed their heartfelt condolences to Walter’s family on their website and have written to Fifa for permission to wear black armbands as a mark of respect when the national team play Palestine in the World Cup qualifier in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
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