Body found by cleaner at Schalke stadium in western Germany

A body has been found at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, the home of German football team Schalke.

The deceased was an elderly man who died of natural causes, police said. His body was found at the stadium in western Germany on Thursday by a cleaner.

The man died following a medical emergency, police added.

According to the mass-circulation Bild newspaper, the man attended an event at the arena on Wednesday.

Why his absence went unnoticed and he was not found until the following day remains unclear, according to police. 

"FC Schalke 04 reacted with great dismay on Thursday to the news that a deceased person was found in a washroom at the Veltins-Arena. Schalke 04 extends its deepest sympathies to the bereaved," Bild quoted the club as saying.

The relevant authorities are being supported in their investigation with all available resources, the Bild report added.