Chinese Super League club Zhejiang FC confirmed the death of its football player Aaron Boupendza of Gabon, after the team's 2-2 draw against Meizhou Hakka on Wednesday night. 

"We are issuing this announcement with an extremely heavy heart: Our foreign player Aaron Boupendza passed away unfortunately at his residence today," the club said in a statement released on social media with a profile photo in black and white. 

Late on Wednesday, the local police in Hangzhou also confirmed the death of Boupendza.

"At around 13:14 on April 16, 2025, our bureau received an alarm from the public stating that someone had fallen from a building in a residential community within the jurisdiction," the statement reads.

"The injured person was immediately sent to the hospital for treatment, but unfortunately, the injured person was pronounced dead after ineffective medical treatment," the statement continued, before confirming the deceased was Boupendza.

"Through on-site investigation, inquiries, video review and other work by the public security organs, it was determined that the death was caused by a high-fall from the balcony of the rented residence, and criminal cases have been ruled out," the local police said. 

Boupendza, who joined Zhejiang in February, had contributed four goals and two assists to the club this season across six appearances. He was 28.

Many Chinese football fans questioned whether Zhejiang's match on Wednesday should go ahead when they heard the rumor of Boupendza's death that afternoon. 

Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema paid tribute to the deceased player shortly after his death.

Before Boupendza joining Zhejiang, he had stints in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.