Russian Wrestling Federation first vice-president Adlan Varayev has been found dead in Chechnya ©Twitter

Russian Wrestling Federation (RWF) first vice-president Adlan Varayev has been found dead in a Chechen village, it has been has reported.

Varayev, winner of an Olympic silver medal in the under 74 kilograms freestyle category at Seoul in 1988, competing for the Soviet Union, went missing on May 3 after falling down in a river.

Three-time Olympic wrestling champion Buvaisar Saitiyev confirmed to Russia's official state news agency TASS that a body discovered in the village was that of Varayev following identification from his family.

He was 54.

According to reports in the Russian media, Varayev was hoping to get a picture in front of a picturesque mountain backdrop but slipped and fell into river and subsequently drowned.

The news of his confirmed death follows an extensive search process carried out by as many as 200 firefighters and rescuers, it has been claimed.

Michael Mamiashvili, President of the RWF and vice-president of United World Wrestling, had said everyone was praying for him to be found alive.

“The search has not stopped since the day when it happened,” Saitiyev told TASS.

“Many people have been involved in the search, in difficult weather conditions, in a land-slide-prone area.

“Many have been hoping to find him alive.”

Adlan Varayev, centre, became the first Chechen to win an Olympic medal when he clinched silver at Seoul 1988 before moving into administration and becoming first vice-president of the Russian Wrestling Federation ©Twitter
Adlan Varayev, centre, became the first Chechen to win an Olympic medal when he clinched silver at Seoul 1988 before moving into administration and becoming first vice-president of the Russian Wrestling Federation ©Twitter

Varayev secured his place in the record books during his career by becoming the first Chechen to win an Olympic medal in the South Korean capital 28 years ago.

His most notable achievement came at the 1987 World Championships in Clermont-Ferrand in France, winning the gold medal in the under 74kg category.

In the final he beat American Dave Schultz.

He was shot and killed in 1996 by John Eleuthère du Pont, a millionaire philanthropist who sponsored the private Foxcatcher wrestling team at an amateur sports center known as Foxcatcher Farmhe set up on his estate in Pennsylvania. 

The story of the events leading to his death are portrayed in the 2014 Oscar-nominated film Foxcatcher, with Schultz being portrayed by Mark Ruffalo.

The Russian had previously earned silver at the 1986 event in Budapest and claimed three consecutive European crowns between 1986 and 1988.

Following his retirement, he began working as a coach before taking up a role with the RWF.