Joao Carvalho’s brother claims “no one gives us answers” over MMA fighter’s death

A week after Joao Carvalho's death and the Portuguese fighter's family members are still not sure where they stand.

Carvalho passed away in Beaumont Hospital last Monday night, two days after a mixed martial arts bout against SBG fighter Charlie Ward. Alex Silvestre, Carvalho's brother, is in Ireland hoping to bring his brother's body home to Portugal so he can be buried. But, speaking on Irish TV show Prime Time, Silvestre has explained his frustration.

“I don’t know what’s happened. No one gives us answers," he said.

"It’s nine days. It’s too much. I want to go home and take my brother with me, to give rest to him and everyone."

“My brother comes from a different country. He’s here in Ireland – no one cares about anything," Silvestre added.

“No one comes to us to ask what’s happened. No one comes to us to give any explanation to say ‘you’ll stay here with your brother for one or two weeks more’.”

Carvalho was defeated in the third round of a Total Extreme Fighting event in the National Stadium and was taken to hospital shortly after saying he felt ill in the changing rooms.

Silvestre claimed he knew that something was seriously wrong after Carvalho fell to his back when the referee waved an end to the fight.

“I am very worried about the boy when the referee stopped the fight, because I saw my brother on the floor. I knew something was wrong with my brother at this moment," he said.

Silvestre also revealed his concern when he didn't get a text message after the fight which had become the norm when his brother competed.

“I wanted to know if everything is alright. Always a few minutes after [a fight] he texts everyone ‘I’m alright’ … not this time.”