The Sabah Hockey Association confirmed his death. “It’s a big loss to the country’s hockey fans. Yahya was dedicated to the sport,” the association said in a Facebook post.

Yahya was a head coach for the Sabah women’s hockey team before his death.

It is learned that he had been undergoing treatment at Kuala Lumpur Hospital since last week after suffering a stroke.

Yahya competed at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games where the national team finished in 11th place. He had also coached the national junior World Cup team that finished 12th at the 2001 Tasmania Hockey Junior World Cup.

His death is the second today of a former Olympian. Middle-distance legend R Subramaniam, 83, died at about 2pm, an hour after he was warded at Kajang Hospital following complaints of chest pains.