Mystery continues to surround the tragic death of 34-year-old Hungarian world champion sprint canoeist Miklós Dudás, who was found dead in his apartment on 5 January 2026. According to the latest statement by the Budapest Police Headquarters (BRFK), authorities are now investigating the case on suspicion of bodily harm resulting in death.
The circumstances of Dudás’s death were initially examined as part of an administrative procedure. However, during an extraordinary autopsy, an expert identified injuries on the deceased whose mechanism of origin may be clarified through criminal proceedings. As a result, on 6 January, BRFK ordered a formal investigation on suspicion of bodily harm resulting in death.
Miklós Dudás was one of Hungary’s most accomplished sprint canoeists, with a career defined by notable international achievements. At the 2012 London Olympics, he reached the final of the K–1 200 m event and finished sixth, earning Olympic points for Hungary.
He achieved significant success at the World Championships. As a member of Hungary’s 4×200 m kayak relay team, Dudás won gold at the 2014 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Moscow. Over the course of his career, he collected multiple world championship medals, including bronze medals at subsequent editions of the competition.
At the European level, Dudás secured an individual silver medal at the 2013 European Championships. Following his return from suspension, he added a bronze medal in the K–4 500 m event at both the 2018 European Championships and the 2018 World Championships. He also excelled at youth and under-23 levels, winning international titles and earning medals at the 2008 Youth European Championships and the Under-23 World Championships.
Dudás briefly claimed gold in the K–1 200 m event at the 2015 European Games; however, that result was later annulled following a positive doping test.
‘Adding to the tragic and unsettling context of his death, Dudás’s father, István Dudás, had previously died under violent circumstances that cast a long shadow over his son’s later life’
‘We got to know each other through sport. I was completely shocked when I heard the news. I do not know what to make of it all—I cannot even comprehend what could have happened. It is shocking and terrible. My condolences to the whole family,’ said Dávid Tóth, captain of the Hungarian kayaking team. The Hungarian Kayak-Canoe Federation also issued a farewell message in his memory.
Adding to the tragic and unsettling context of his death, Dudás’s father, István Dudás, had previously died under violent circumstances that cast a long shadow over his son’s later life. In late August 2024, István, then 56 years old, was brutally attacked by a group of six men at a petrol station in Budapest’s 18th district, suffering severe head trauma that left him in an acute coma.
Reports indicate that the assault lasted only moments but caused injuries so grave that he required multiple surgeries, including the insertion of an artificial skull plate, and was placed on life support. Despite ongoing medical efforts and the family’s hopes for recovery, he never regained consciousness and, after approximately five months in a coma, died from his injuries on 2 February 2025.
The incident reportedly stemmed from a seemingly minor conflict that escalated into violence. Although the attackers later offered apologies through legal representation, the injuries proved fatal and devastated the family.
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