The legendary doctor of the US hockey team of Latvian origin Nagobads has passed away

Latvia-born sports doctor Visvaldis Georgs Nagobads passed away on Friday at the age of 101, the USA Hockey Federation informs.

During his professional career, Nagobad served as the physician for five US Olympic hockey teams, 15 US National Hockey Teams and six US Junior National Teams.

As a doctor, Nagobad helped the US hockey team, which triumphed in the 1980 Olympic Games and did the almost impossible, beating the then very strong USSR team. Nagobad was an important assistant to US head coach Herbert Brooks in this success, which has been dubbed the “Miracle on Ice”.

Nagobad also participated in the USA Hockey and Equipment Safety Committee and was active in the Medical Committee of the International Hockey League (IHL).

In 2003, Nagobad received an award from the International Ice Hockey Federation for his significant contribution to the promotion of hockey in the world, becoming the first person from North America to receive this award. In 2010, he was inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame.

Being the doctor of the hockey team of the University of Minnesota in the period from 1958 to 1992, Nagobad helped this team to participate in three important international hockey tournaments.

Nagobad, born in Riga in 1921, received his education at the University of Latvia and the University of Giessen, while he obtained his degree in medicine at the University of Tübingen in Frankfurt.