Russia`s Supreme Court to hear cassation over famous cyclist`s killing

MOSCOW, November 23 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's Supreme Court is expected
to hear a cassation over a sentence to 18 years in jail that the city
court in St Petersburg issued in September to a native of the North
Caucasus region of Karabardino-Balkaria, who was found guilty of killing
the Olympic Champion in cycling, Dmitry Nelyubin.
The St Petersburg court sentenced Alim Azhagoyev, the descendant of
Kabardino-Balkaria to 18 years in a high security prison after finding him
guilty of murder. His brother Edik Azhagoyev, who was accused to a
physical assault at the Olympic champion's friend, was sentenced to three
years in jail.
Also, the court ruled that Alim Azhagoyev pay 2 million rubles Dmitry
Nelyubin's father and the same amount, to his preteen son.
The lawyers defending the Azhagoyev brothers have appealed the
sentence at the Supreme Court.
Dmitry Nelyubin, 33 at the time of death, was killed in the courtyard
of the house where he lived on the New Year night of 2005, when his
friend, his common law wife Natalya and he himself were setting off
firecrackers.
They were approached by four young men who started insulting them
without any obvious reason and then attacked them physically.
As a result, Nelyubin received a stab wound in the stomach, of which
he died at hospital later.
The suspected attackers were detained only last December.
Nelyubin won gold in cycling at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul when he was
17 years old, which made him the youngest ever champion in that Olympic
discipline.
He rounded up his career nine years later, having earned the title of
the Honored Master of Sports.
After the sentencing of the Azhagoyev brothers by the court, Russia's
Olympic Committee expressed official gratitude to investigators, policemen
and the public prosecutor.
They were given valuable gifts and decorated with the honorary silver
Order for Public Recognition.
-0-kle