Russian Says No to Extradition

In a move that could add weeks of legal wrangling to an already complex case, a reputed Russian mobster charged with trying to fix two Olympic figure skating events will fight extradition to the United States.

Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov said “no” Tuesday when asked by a judge at a closed hearing in Santa Maria Maggiore prison at Venice, Italy, if he would consent to extradition.

By refusing voluntary extradition, Tokhtakhounov is guaranteed a lengthy series of legal procedures.

“He said he’s absolutely not guilty of having anything to do with the Olympics,” defense attorney Luca Saldarelli said.

Tokhtakhounov was arrested on a United States criminal complaint, filed in Manhattan federal court, that accused him of fixing the results of the pairs and ice dancing competitions at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

Italian police officials have described Tokhtakhounov as a high-ranking member of a Moscow-based crime group known as the Sun Brigade, and have released excerpts of wiretapped conversations they say show Tokhtakhounov was involved in fixing the events.

They say Tokhtakhounov might have contacted as many as six judges to help secure a gold medal for Russians Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze in the pairs competition in exchange for a victory by the French ice dancing team of Marina Anissina, who is originally from Russia, and Gwendal Peirzerat. Both teams won.

Tennis

Upset at being fined for refusing a pretournament interview, top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia considered forfeiting his first-round match in the Masters Series Cincinnati at Mason, Ohio, but went out and defeated Robbie Ginepri, 6-0, 6-0.

Third-seeded Tommy Haas lost to Michael Chang, 6-3, 6-2. Fourth-seeded Tim Henman beat defending champion Gustavo Kuerten, 6-4, 6-4, and Andy Roddick defeated Michael Kratochvil, 6-3, 6-3.

Megan Bradley, UCLA’s No. 1 women’s tennis player, has transferred to Miami, her father, former major league baseball player Phil Bradley, said.

Hockey

The Mighty Ducks avoided arbitration, as they signed defenseman Ruslan Salei to a two-year, $3.35-million deal.

Miscellany

Tamika Catchings had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and the Indiana Fever defeated the Washington Mystics, 64-55, in a WNBA game before 14,986 at Washington.... Tamika Williams had 13 points and seven rebounds, and the Minnesota Lynx kept the New York Liberty from clinching a playoff spot with a 52-49 victory before 14,062 at New York.... Tammy Sutton-Brown scored 19 points and the Charlotte Sting beat the Detroit Shock, 76-65, before 5,562 at Auburn Hills, Mich.... Adrienne Goodson scored 28 points as the Utah Starzz clinched at least third place in the Western Conference with an 82-69 victory over the Portland Fire before 9,158 at Portland, Ore.... Ticha Penicherio had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Sacramento Monarchs past the Phoenix Mercury, 73-70, before 6,591 at Sacramento.... Tina Thompson scored 19 points before bruising her right hip as the Houston Comets defeated the Cleveland Rockers, 67-54, before 11,064 at Houston.

Tony Stewart was fined $10,000 and was put on probation for the rest of the year by NASCAR for punching Gary Mook, a freelance photographer for the Indianapolis Star who tried to take pictures of the driver after his 12th-place finish Sunday at the Brickyard 400.

Al Unser Jr. ended his stay at a treatment center for alcohol abuse and plans to return to driving at this weekend’s Indy Racing League event at Sparta, Ky.

Former Nevada Las Vegas defensive back Amar Brisco, 24, was shot and killed about 3 a.m. Sunday in an argument with security guards outside a Las Vegas nightclub, police said.

Passings

Former All-Star catcher Darrell Porter, the most valuable player of the 1982 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, was found dead in a park in suburban Kansas City, Mo. He was 50. Story in B Section.