Grubelnik, who competed in three consecutive Winter Olympic Games from 1998 to 2006, died after the vehicle he was driving came off a mountain road and rolled down a hill.

The slalom specialist was 13th at Turin 2006, his best-ever result at an Olympics.

He had been the coach of the Bulgarian ski team since 2013.

The BSF also confirmed that Bulgarian skier Albert Popov and assistant coach Dimitar Hristov were taken to hospital in Innsbruck as a result of injuries suffered in the accident.

Hristov is in a “serious but stable” condition.

Popov is due to have surgery on his ankle and looks to have escaped with only minor injuries.

According to Austrian media, Grubelnik passed away in a hospital in Murnau, Germany, shortly after the incident occurred.

“The Bulgarian Ski Federation expresses its sincerest condolences to the family of Drago Grubelnik and prays for the quick recovery of Dimitar Hristov and Albert Popov,” a statement read.

“Drago was at the forefront of our national team from 2013.

“As a skier he was one of the most famous in Slovenia.”

Grublenik, who earned one World Cup podium place in his career, a third place finish in Wengen, Switzerland, in January 2000, retired from competitive skiing in 2007.

The Slovenian Ski Federation said it had lost an “exceptional performer who was the slalom top at the beginning of the millennium”.