THE SIDELINES : Soviet Yachtsman a Suicide

A Soviet round-the-world yachtsman whose body was found hanging from a tree in the Uruguayan resort of Punta del Este on Wednesday committed suicide, Tass press agency said today.

It said Alexei Gryshenko, 43, skipper of the yacht Fazisi, left a note asking his wife and parents to forgive him. “He expressed regret that he was unable to fulfill the role of captain adequately. This testifies to the fact that he suffered a nervous breakdown,” Tass said.

Tass said that he had been showing signs of stress before the 25-boat Whitbread Round the World race started and that his participation had been in doubt from the outset.

Gryshenko, who co-skippered the 80-foot Fazisi with American Skip Novak on the first leg from Southampton, England, to Punta del Este, had been due to take sole charge of the 17-man crew for the rest of the 33,000-mile course.