A tragic incident unfolded at a sports center in Malaysia, where a pickleball player’s life was cut short after a fatal fall caught on video. The player attempted to retrieve a ball by climbing over a safety rail, leading to the unfortunate accident.

Surveillance footage obtained by Newsflare captures the moment when the 32-year-old athlete vaulted over the rail at a Kuala Lumpur pickleball facility on December 2. The player then landed on a section of mesh netting designed to cover an open gap.

Tragically, the netting was unable to support his weight, and it gave way, causing him to fall three stories to the ground. Fellow players quickly rushed to his aid, descending to the first floor to check on him. Sadly, upon reaching him, they discovered he had not survived the fall, as reported by Newsflare.

The incident has sparked a police investigation and raised public safety concerns. Authorities are urging all sports facilities to review their safety measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

A Malaysia pickleball player died after climbing a court rail and falling three stories when mesh netting failed, prompting a police investigation and public warnings. (Newsflare via Reuters Connect)

“The deceased was playing pickleball on the third floor and he had climbed over the court’s fence to retrieve a ball and fell to the lower floor,” Wangsa Maju district police chief Mohamad Lazim Ismail said in a statement obtained by Newsflare. “The case has been classified as sudden death.”

Officials at the Playa Racquet Club, where the incident occurred, expressed their condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones.

A Malaysia pickleball player died after climbing a court rail and falling three stories when mesh netting failed, prompting a police investigation and public warnings. (Newsflare via Reuters Connect)

“We are deeply saddened by a tragic incident that occurred at our TREC facility, which resulted in the loss of a life,” the officials said. “At this time, we ask for understanding and compassion as we respect the privacy of the family and loved ones affected.

“We kindly urge the public to refrain from speculation while the appropriate authorities carry out their investigation,” club officials said.

Pickleball blends tennis, badminton and ping-pong, and has an appeal that spans generations. (iStock)

Pickleball is a sport that blends tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It was invented in 1965 by three dads looking for a fun family activity.

Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum gathered on Bainbridge Island, near Seattlenear Seattle, where they had access to an abandoned badminton court. They began using ping-pong paddles to volley with a perforated plastic ball over the net.

They ended up with some random equipment, which led to the birth of pickleball.