Former Russian NT player, Vasily Kudinov, died at age 48 in Astrakhan only few days before his birthday.
He participated in three Olympics, winning two gold medals and one bronze medal.
At the 1992 Summer Olympics he won a gold medal with the Unified Team at the Olympics.
He played for the Russia national handball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where Russia won the gold medal.
He had a reach international career in France, Germany and Japan.
Kudinov’s career:
| 1987–1992 |  Dinamo Astrachan |
| 1992–1997 |  US Ivry HB |
| 1997–2000 |  VfL Hameln |
| 2000–2001 | SC Magdeburg |
| 2001–2004 |  Honda Suzuka |
| 2004–2005 |  Dinamo Astrachan |
