Olympic Champ Held In Poison Plot

Police have detained a four-time Olympic champion on suspicion that he helped orchestrate a plot to assassinate a prominent Russian governor, officials said Thursday.

Alexander Tikhonov was one of four people arrested Monday, and police searching his apartment later found a cache of weapons and ammunition, a spokesman with the Federal Security Service told state-owned RTR television.

RTR reported that Tikhonovfaces charges in the alleged plot to poison Kemerovo Gov. Aman Tuleyev.

Tikhonov was a Soviet biathlete who won team gold in four straight winter Olympics, from 1968-1980. He also won an individual silver in 1968. He is now a businessman who runs bakeries.

Security officials announced Tuesday they had foiled the plot to kill Tuleyev, a Communist who came in fourth in March presidential elections. Tuleyev said the plot appeared linked to attempts to gain control of metallurgy factories in his province.