Spanish matador Iván Fandiño tragically died in 2017 after being gored by a bull during a festival in Aire-sur-l’Adour, southwest France. The experienced 36-year-old tripped over his cape during a bullfight, and the bull struck him in the torso, causing severe injuries to his lungs and vital organs.
Despite being conscious and carried out of the arena, Fandiño suffered a fatal heart attack on the way to the hospital. His final words were reportedly, “Hurry up, I’m dying.”
Fandiño, known for taking on dangerous bulls, had survived previous injuries but this incident shocked the bullfighting world, marking the first matador death in France in nearly a century.
His death followed another high-profile fatality, Spanish matador Víctor Barrio, who was killed in 2016. Despite its controversies, bullfighting remains legal in Spain and parts of France, although animal rights advocates continue to call for a ban.
