'He wasn't well': Fresh details emerge in tragic death of Shane Warne
Thai police and the former manager of Shane Warne have shed new light on the details surrounding his tragic death at hotel in Koh Samui.
News of Warne's sudden death has left the sporting world shocked and devastated, with social media inundated with tributes to Australia's greatest ever bowler.
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Warne died of a suspected heart attack while on holidays in Thailand on Friday evening, with his management confirming he was found unresponsive and unable to be revived.
Thai police - who previously confirmed that there were no signs of foul play - have now revealed that Warne had seen doctors about a pre-existing heart condition before his death.
Police said the 52-year-old would be flown from Koh Samui to nearby Surat Thani on Sunday for an autopsy, before being transported home to Australia.
Warne had asthma and "had seen doctors regarding a heart condition prior to his death", local police chief Yutthana Sirisombat said.
He added that relatives also said the Test great had previously suffered chest pain.
Sirisombat also said "no drug substance was detected in Warne's body," without giving further details.
Warne was in Thailand on a three-month holiday and was reportedly discovered by his close friend Andrew Neophitou, who is also an executive producer on the recently released documentary SHANE.
Neophitou reportedly became concerned that Warne was going to be late for a meeting with friends, before finding him unresponsive in the Thai villa.
Despite Neophitou's best efforts to save Warne by performing CPR until ambulance officers arrived, the 52-year-old was unable to be revived.
“They were meant to meet some people at 5pm. Neo (Neophitou) was next door, he’s always on time,” Warne’s long-time manager James Erskine told The Age.
“He realised he wasn’t well. He tried to give mouth-to-mouth, tried to resuscitate him, he had no heartbeat, the ambulance came 20 minutes later and an hour and a bit later he was pronounced dead.”
His body was brought to the Thai International Hospital Samui at about 6pm local time.
Sirisombat said relatives had "already coordinated with the Australian Embassy so that right after the autopsy's finished, they will take his body back to Australia".
Speaking outside the police station on Koh Samui, Neophitou said: "We really just want to get Shane home, that's all it is."
MCG stand to be renamed in Shane Warne's honour
The Victorian and federal governments have both offered a state funeral to his family, which includes Warne's daughters Brooke, 24, and Summer, 20, as well as 22-year-old son Jackson.
"Nobody who saw Shane Warne play will ever forget him," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday.
"To us, he was the greatest - but to his family, he was so much more."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison offered his condolences to the Warne family in a written statement.
"Shane was his own man, following his own path," Mr Morrison said.
Australian officials arrived in Thailand on Saturday to assist Thai authorities and help arrange the repatriation process.
Tributes continue to flow for cricket great Shane Warne who has died in Thailand from a suspected heart attack.
Newspapers, celebrities, politicians and adoring fans lined up to recall their memories of the legendary leg-spinner.
Others left flowers, meat pies, beers and cigarettes at his statue outside the MCG, where the southern stand will be renamed the S.K. Warne Stand in his honour.
with agencies
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