Russian Is Indicted in Fix Plot

A reputed Russian mobster was indicted Wednesday on charges that he plotted to fix the ice dancing and pairs figure skating competition at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov was arrested July 31 in Venice, Italy, to face conspiracy charges contained in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan after an investigation of one of the largest judging scandals in Olympic history.

He was accused of plotting to persuade a French judge to vote for the Russian pairs team, and a Russian judge to vote for the French ice dancing team. Both teams won gold medals.

Tokhtakhunov was accused of using his influence with members of the Russian and French skating federations to fix the outcome of the pairs figure skating and ice dancing competitions at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

The French ice dancing team included a woman of Russian descent.

The charges were brought after wiretaps placed as part of a mob investigation picked up telephone conversations between Tokhtakhunov in Italy and unidentified conspirators during the Games.

Prosecutors said Tokhtakhunov, who had lived in France but was forced to leave that country, had hoped to gain favor with French authorities through the scheme to have his French visa extended.

U.S. prosecutors continue to seek Tokhtakhunov’s extradition.

Pro Basketball

The Cleveland Cavaliers matched the six-year, $34-million offer Ricky Davis received last week from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Cleveland had 15 days to decide whether to re-sign the 6-foot-7 guard after Minnesota made its offer Friday.

Jeff Bzdelik, a scout for the Denver Nuggets last season, was introduced as the team’s new coach.

Bzdelik, 49, has 12 seasons as an NBA assistant in his 25 years of coaching.

The Nuggets had been seeking a permanent coach since Dan Issel was forced out in December after uttering a racially insensitive remark to a fan after a loss.

New Jersey picked up a two-season option on 6-9 forward Kenyon Martin, the Nets’ leading scorer at 14.9 points per game last season.

Utah’s first-round draft pick, Raul Lopez, needs exploratory surgery to determine the severity of a damaged ligament in his reconstructed right knee. Lopez, 22, was with Spain’s team, preparing for the world championships, when he was hurt Saturday....Forward Ansu Sesay, a late-season pickup by Seattle, signed a two-year contract with the SuperSonics....Detroit signed second-round draft pick Mehmet Okur to a multiyear contract.... Atlanta has hired Hall of Famer Alex English as director of player personnel.

Golf

Henry Liaw, a 16-year-old from Rowland Heights, eliminated Chen-Chih Chiang of Taiwan, 3 and 2, and advanced to the round of 32 in the U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

In other matches, Chris Botsford of Pasadena defeated Aaron Byers, 4 and 3; Brett Foulds of Escondido defeated Braxton Wynns, 3 and 2; John Merrick of Long Beach defeated Lee Curry, 3 and 2; and Peter Tomasulo of Long Beach defeated Jason Gerken, 3 and 2.

Anthony Kim of La Quinta lost to Charlie Beljan, 1-up.

Miscellany

The Big 12 landed an eighth bowl spot this season, adding the Dec. 31 Humanitarian Bowl at Boise State. The opponent will be a team from the Western Athletic Conference.

Running back Lawrence Phillips met with Montreal Alouette officials for nearly two hours, and the CFL team lifted his suspension for leaving the team Sunday for the second time this year.

Phillips leads the league with 594 yards rushing despite battling knee and elbow injuries.

The Winston was awarded to Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Winston-Salem, N.C., for 2003.

NASCAR officials had wanted the All-Star race held at different venues but relented when city officials from the greater Charlotte area promised to pump money and support into the event.

Rejmund Fodor’s three goals led Hungary over the U.S., 9-5, in the water polo World Cup at Belgrade, Yugoslavia.