Three times world surfing champion Andy Irons has been found dead in a Dallas hotel room after withdrawing from a surfing competition in Puerto Rico. Irons was regarded as one of the world’s best competitive surfers and won the world championship in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

The 32-year-old had made the stop on his way home to Hawaii after failing to show up during a competition in Puerto Rico. Officials said he withdrew from the competition the next day, citing an illness he contracted during an event in Portugal.

Public safety officials said he had died from unknown causes. However, according to a report by Hawaii’s Star Advertiser newspaper, an unnamed official at the Dallas Medical Examiner’s Office said that methadone was found in his room. The narcotic was hidden inside a container of prescription sleep aid zolpidem, which was on the nightstand, according to the report.

A statement posted on the website of sponsor Billabong said: ‘The world of surfing mourns an incredibly sad loss today with the news that Hawaii’s Andy Irons has died. Irons, 32, withdrew from a professional surfing event in Puerto Rico last weekend due to illness and passed away during a layover en-route to his home in Kauai, Hawaii. He had reportedly been battling with dengue fever, a viral disease.’