Obituary – Swiss Beach Volleyball legend Martin Laciga

The Volleyball family mourns the sudden and untimely death of multiple European Beach Volleyball champion Martin Laciga of Switzerland, who passed away earlier this week at the young age of 48. Laciga was a real Beach Volleyball pioneer whose career spanned as many as 18 years. A three-time European champion and a World Championship silver medallist, Laciga was the no. 1 player in the world back in 1999. He suffered of severe depression. 

Together with brother Paul, Martin Laciga composed a world-class leading Beach Volleyball duo from 1995 to 2004. Later in his career, he played alongside Markus Egger, Jan Schneider, and Jefferson Bellaguarda before retiring from competitive sport ten years ago. The Laciga brothers were voted and awarded as Switzerland’s Team of the Year in 1999. He remained involved in the sport and was seen as a co-commentator for the Swiss national TV at major events such as the Olympics and World Championships. To this day, Laciga remains one of Switzerland’s most successful Beach Volleyball players and sportsmen in history.