Notícia

Gabriel Ganley: friend reveals behind the scenes of the athlete's sudden death

Por Equipe Editorial CifraNET · 24/05/2026

An audio from a friend of bodybuilding athlete and influencer Gabriel Ganley, who was found dead on Saturday (23), revealed the behind the scenes leading up to the young man's death, aged 22.

The young athlete's early death generated great repercussions on social media and in the bodybuilding world after being confirmed by Integral Médica, a sports supplement company of which he was part.

In a publication this Sunday (24), the athlete's mother, Clarisse Ganley described her son's departure as a "fatality" and stated that family, friends, athletes, partners, sponsors and coaches are supporting each other in the midst of a "moment of so much pain".

To date, the official cause of what led to Ganley's death has not been disclosed.

In the recording that CNN had access to, Ganley's friend says that the athlete took insulin on Friday night (22), leading to hypoglycemia - a condition in which blood sugar (glucose) levels fall below normal.

Still in the audio, this friend comments that after that the athlete fell asleep and never woke up.

"He took insulin last night. And he started having hypoglycemia. And, then, he slept. And he can't, okay? (sic) He slept, he didn't wake up," he said.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to control glucose, and exogenous use, in injection form, is only recommended for diabetic patients.

However, the medicine is commonly used by bodybuilding athletes due to its highly anabolic power, facilitating the transport of glucose, amino acids and creatine into muscle cells. Therefore, associated with diet and training, post-workout muscle recovery is maximized, along with the storage of energy (glycogen) in the muscle, promoting faster growth and preventing mass loss.

Application without medical advice and guidance can lead to risks such as hypoglycemia, a condition in which blood sugar levels fall below normal, causing weakness, mental confusion and even fainting. In more serious cases, it can lead to death.

According to endocrinologist Juliane Baptista Braziliano, recreational use by athletes for performance and aesthetic purposes is not safe and can lead to serious consequences such as death.

"These medications are not safe for these purposes (...) many people are using different medications, without medical recommendation or monitoring, just for the purpose of performance, risking their own health and life."

Juliane Baptista Braziliano, endocrinologist

Sudden death
Ganley's death is being investigated as suspicious, according to the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat.

The SSP stated that the victim was located by a friend, and that "no apparent signs of violence were found at the scene".

An examination was carried out at the scene and the case was registered as "suspicious death - sudden death.

In situations like this, the registration of a suspicious death does not necessarily mean evidence of a crime, but rather a classification used when the cause of death is not yet clear and depends on expert examinations to be determined.

Who was Ganley?
Phenomenon on social media, the athlete had more than a million and a half followers and gained notoriety among young audiences by sharing his training routine and diet.