Latvian Basketball Player Janis Timma Commits Suicide In Moscow City Centre
- JANIS TIMMA
- 17.12.2024, 9:24
A phone with a message from his ex-wife Anna Sedokova was found next to his body.
On the night of December 16-17 tragic news appeared: Latvian basketball player Janis Timma was found dead in a business hotel in the centre of Moscow. The initial version was suicide. Details started to surface quickly: next to the body of the athlete was a phone, the screen of which showed a message from his ex-wife, the famous singer Anna Sedokova, with a request to call back, writes championat.com.
Just a week before, on December 9, it became known about the divorce of Anna and Janis. Their relationships were not without publicity - the couple actively appeared on entertainment shows and shared details of their lives. It seemed that there was real passion and mutual feelings between them, but there was a dramatic reality behind the outer gloss.
According to Sedokova, their relationships were turbulent: quarrels, breakups, reconciliations. Timma severely experienced the breakup and did not hide his emotions. In social networks there were posts and broadcasts in which he talked about his pain and even mentioned suicidal thoughts. He accused Sedokova of preferring money to their love.
On the eve of the tragedy, December 16, Anna was celebrating her birthday. Janis congratulated her - after all, they were together for four years. Perhaps this communication and led to the tragic consequences. Many questions remain, and the investigation should shed light on the circumstances of what happened.
Marriage to Anna made Timma widely known in Russia, even among those who are far from basketball. However, the role of a pop star's husband has over time seemed to overshadow his career as an athlete. But Janis was a really talented player.
Back in 2010, he won bronze at the European Youth Championships with the Latvian national team. Starting his career in his home country, he played for Liepājas Lauvas, Ventspils and VEF. In 2013, he was selected at the NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies at number 60. However, as it often happens with European players, he never got a chance to play in the NBA. Nevertheless, Timma distinguished himself in Europe. In 2015, he joined St. Petersburg Zenit, where he played two successful seasons and became a fan favourite. In 2017, he reached the peak of his career and moved to the Euroleague, where he played for clubs such as Baskonia and Olympiacos.
However, Janis was always longing to go back to Russia. He completely assimilated in the country and even after all the events decided to stay here, despite pressure from the Latvian federation. This decision caused criticism in his homeland, but Timma himself already considered Russia as his home.
Since 2022, his career has started to decline. Attempts to gain a foothold in the championships of Puerto Rico, Spain and Turkey were unsuccessful. During this period, he was in a difficult relationship with Anna, and, apparently, emotional distress did not have the best effect on his game.
This year Janis accepted an offer to play in the Russian media basketball league 3x3, once again confirming his desire to stay in Russia. This caused another scandal, but Timma was already perceived as ‘his own’ in Russia. The tragic ending of his life came as a shock to everyone.