Former St Helens and Wigan Warriors star Ricky Bibey is reported to have been found dead in his hotel room in Florence.
The former rugby league player has been named by Italian media after a 40-year-old was found dead in his room at the four-star Hotel Continentale in Florence on Saturday morning when hotel staff alerted police. He is said to have arrived on Friday with a 43-year-old woman, thought to be his partner, who is currently being treated at the city's Careggi hospital after being found alongside him with serious injuries.
Italian newspaper La Nazione has said the man found dead was Bibey, with a number of his former clubs and teammates paying tribute to the former prop-forward. Leon Pryce wrote on Twitter: "Sincere condolences to Ricky's family. We played against each other since the age of about 14.
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"Yorkshire vs Lancashire & together for England schools boys U16's. A great lad. Absolutely devastating news. RIP Ricky."
Leigh wrote that the club were "desperately saddened" to learn of Bibey's death while he was "on holiday in Italy", adding: "Everyone at the club sends sincere condolences to his family and friends at this time."
Wakefield wrote: "Trinity are saddened to hear of the passing of former prop-forward Ricky Bibey, aged 40. Ricky played for Trinity between 2007 and 2009, making 60 appearances.
"We send our condolences to Ricky's family and friends at this tough time."
Bibey is reported to have worked as an estate agent in the years following his retirement, and had previously run a development company. When approached by the PA news agency, Florence police and hotel staff were unable to provide any information regarding the incident, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) did not confirm reports of the man's identity.
An FCDO spokesperson said on Saturday: "We are in touch with the Italian police following the death of a British man in Florence."
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