Former Premier League star George Baldock tragically drowned in his swimming pool in Athens, Greece. The 31-year-old former Sheffield United defender, who had recently signed with Panathinaikos, was found unresponsive after being in the water for up to five hours.
A post-mortem conducted in Athens confirmed that “drowning in water” was the cause of death, though toxicology tests, including those for alcohol, are still pending and expected to take several days. According to local reports, Athens police have ruled out any criminal involvement, including burglary. Baldock’s partner, who was in the UK, raised the alarm after being unable to reach him.
A spokesperson for Greece’s Hellenic Police confirmed that a forensic pathologist found no signs of foul play, and a thorough search of the house revealed no evidence of burglary. CCTV footage from the property is being reviewed to ensure no one entered or left the premises before his death. Baldock was discovered by the owner of the luxury home, and despite emergency services arriving within nine minutes, they were unable to revive him.
Baldock’s family expressed their devastation at the sudden loss. Despite being born in Buckinghamshire, Baldock played 12 matches for Greece due to his grandmother’s heritage.
In a statement, his family said, “We can confirm that George has sadly passed away. As a family, we are in shock at this terrible loss. We ask the media to respect our privacy at this time.”
Baldock, who had been slated to play for Greece against England at Wembley but was sidelined by injury, is being honored by the Greek team. They have requested permission from UEFA for both teams to wear black armbands during the upcoming Nations League match in his memory.