Chalibashvili died at the age of 21 following an accident during competition at the 1983 Summer Universiade in Edmonton, Alberta, when he hit his head on the platform while attempting a reverse 3½ somersault in the tuck position.

He fell into a week-long coma and died of heart failure, never having regained consciousness.

[5] According to reports, Chalibashvili's coach was his mother, Thais Muntean, who worked at the department of water sports at the Georgian State Institute of Physical Education (now dissolved and converted into a chair at the State University).

Subsequently, she grieved the loss of her only son and gave praise for the care given to him in an Edmonton hospital.

[citation needed] A few years later a similar dive killed Nathan Meade (1966 – 1987), an Australian athlete in training.