A CALL for more bicycle lanes and safety campaigns was issued after a top expatriate banker and sporting figure was killed in a horrific hit-and-run yesterday.
Briton Allan Sword, 49, who was the chief operating officer, group wholesale banking, Bank ABC, died at around 6.15am after he was hit by a vehicle on Wali Al Ahad road near Jasrah towards Hamala.
According to sources, he was cycling at the rear of a group of amateur riders when the collision happened. The group had reportedly set out on a 100km ride.
The car driver, 39, allegedly fled the scene without stopping the vehicle – but was arrested an hour later.
Mr Sword, a resident of Bahrain since the late 90s, was a versatile personality. An ace banker, hockey and squash player, he was also one of the founders of Bahrain Triathlon Club.
He is survived by wife Corinne, who lives in Bahrain.
His two children – son Gregor and daughter Halle – both now live in the UK. Their mother Evelyn lives in Dubai. The children were students of St Christopher’s School before they ventured abroad for further studies.
Prayers were held for Mr Sword at two church services in Bahrain as word spread of the tragedy.
“This tragic accident has shocked many parts of Bahraini society,” a close friend, who did not want to be named, told the GDN.
“Allan was an exceptional sportsman, being one of the best in Bahrain at hockey and squash.
“In later years, he became better known for his triathlon in which he was one of the local pioneers and freely gave his time to help organise and create opportunities for others.
“What truly set him apart was that he always competed with great humour and grace, which made him so popular with everyone he met.
“His sad departure will be felt by many for years.”
British Ambassador Roddy Drummond said the embassy was aware of the dreadful accident involving Mr Sword.
“We have received condolences from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, and other members of the Royal Family.
“Our consul has spoken to his wife. We have conveyed the condolences and offered our full support.
“The Ambassador’s sympathies go to his family in Bahrain and elsewhere,” he said.
Bank ABC group chief executive Dr Khaled Kawan remembered Mr Sword as “a brilliant professional, a thorough gentleman and a wonderful human being”.
“The news of Allan’s sudden demise has left the entire Bank ABC Group profoundly shocked and saddened,” he told the GDN.
“We had the good fortune of knowing and working with Allan for 13 years, and his contribution to the bank remains indelible, much like the mark he’s left on those who knew him personally.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, who have an arduous road to acceptance and recovery ahead,” he said.
A member of the Fellowship of the Bikes cycling group Khalid Al Hiddi expressed shock over the horrific accident.
He called for more bicycle lanes and awareness campaigns by the Traffic Directorate to avert such tragedies in the future.
“It’s unfair that there are only a few designated areas with bike lanes in Bahrain, the laws need to help bicycle owners,” he said.
Bahrain, earlier this year, launched a national campaign aimed at keeping its roads safe for cyclists and motorists.
The Northern Municipal Council approved a proposal to have striped or separated areas on the roadway designated for use by cyclists, in a bid to prevent accidents.
It came amid a surge in the number of cyclists on Bahrain’s roads as people have taken up new hobbies during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The GDN, in April, reported about five professional cyclists who were run over in a horrific crash.
The Bahraini cyclists were training near Awali at around 8.15am when a car, driven by a woman, ran them over. The collision was so severe that one of the cyclists broke his hip as he was trapped under the car while still on his cycle. All five men, aged in their 20s, belonged to the Bahrain National Cycling Team.
ghazi@gdn.com.bh
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