At the age of 50
Former handball star dies unexpectedly
April 1, 2026 – 8:16 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The handball world mourns the loss of a great name. Eduard Koksharov, once a highly decorated player and most recently coach, has died unexpectedly.
At the Brest HC Meshkov training camp, a place at the breakfast table remained empty – a little later the sad certainty followed. Coach Eduard Koksharov was found dead in his hotel room. The former world-class left winger died unexpectedly at the age of 50.
At first, no one on the team suspected anything when Koksharov didn’t show up on Tuesday morning. His death was announced shortly afterwards. His club said: “We will remember him as a person who left a lasting mark on our team and the hearts of everyone who knew him.” The club also spoke of a “loss for the entire handball family” and a “big shock for the global handball community”. Initial suspicions point to a stroke or heart attack.
During his active career, Koksharov was one of the best left wingers in the world. He moved from home club SKIF Krasnodar to RK Celje, where he won eight championships and the Champions League in 2004. He also won two Russian titles with Medvedi Chekhov.
For the Russian national team he scored 1,110 goals in 226 international matches – he was the only player from his country to exceed the 1,000 goal mark. With Russia he became world champion in 1997 and won Olympic gold in 2000. He also won silver at the 1999 World Cup and the 2000 European Championships, as well as bronze at the 2004 Olympic Games. He was top scorer at the 1999 World Cup. Between 2001 and 2007 he was awarded several times as the best left winger at world and European championships.
From 2017 to 2020, Koksharov coached the Russian national team. With Brest HC Meshkov he won the championship, the cup, the Supercup and the SEHA league in Belarus. Koksharov leaves behind his wife and two children. His son Alexander Koksharov (24) is a professional footballer at FK Krasnodar.
