THE riot police officer who died of cardiac arrest during crowd trouble before a Europa League match in Spain collapsed on his own and not in a direct confrontation with fans, authorities said today.

Officials in the Basque region of Spain said doctors dismissed the possibility the cardiac arrest was caused by any type of trauma sustained by the officer in fighting that took place before the match between Athletic Bilbao and Russian club Spartak Moscow yesterday.

There had been conflicting reports about what caused the officer’s death, with some saying he might have been involved in a struggle with fans or been hit by one of the many objects thrown during the altercation.