Anissina defends 'mobster' link

"We'll learn that it was all a big mistake" - Sikharulidze

Olympic medal winner Marina Anissina has admitted she knew the alleged Russian crime boss charged with vote-rigging at the Salt Lake City Games.

Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov, 53, who faces extradition to the US, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and influence the Salt Lake figure skating results through bribery.

Italian police, who arrested Tokhtakhounov, said he may have contacted up to six judges to help secure a gold medal for Russia's Elena Berezhnaia and Anton Sikharulidze.

I know him well, we've spoken with him on the telephone from time to time

Marina Anissina

According to the charges, that was in exchange for a victory for France's Anissina and partner Gwendal Peizerat.

Since the arrest, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has admitted that medals may have to be returned if fixing claims are proven.

At a press conference on Monday, Anissina insisted that, while she had met Tokhtakhounov, she and her partner had won their gold fair and square "on the ice".

"I know him well, we've spoken with him on the telephone from time to time," she said.

Anissina was accompanied by Peizerat, Berezhnaia and Sikharulidze and French ice skating federation president Didier Gailhaguet

Moscow-born Anissina said her first contact with Tokhtakhunov had come she said at a reception in 1999.

I've no reason to call Marina into question in this affair

Gwendal Peizerat

Peizerat, whose father is an official in the French federation, said that he had faith in his dance partner despite her links with him.

"I've confidence in her, I've no reason to call Marina into question in this affair," said Peizerat, wearing a tee-shirt with 'not guilty' on it.

"She had the misfortune to know someone who was mixed up in this business."

Banned

Russian champion Sikharulidze believed the scandal would soon blow over.

"Very soon we'll learn that it was all a big mistake," he said.

Gailhaguet too insisted there was nothing sinister about the French duo's win.

"They won their medal on the ice," he said, conceding that "lobbying" but not "wheeler-dealing" did occur in ice skating.

Gailhaguet was banned for three years after the International Skating Union found him guilty of trying to influence a French judge into voting for the Russian pairs.

The judge, Marie-Reine Le Gougne, was also suspended.

Skategate row rumbles on

Italian police have released transcripts of tape recordings purporting to be between Tokhtakhunov and Anissina's mother.

The biggest judging scandal in Olympic history erupted the day after the pairs competition, when French judge Le Gougne said she had been pressured to vote for the Russians. She later recanted.

As a result, duplicate gold medals were awarded to Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, the Canadians who finished second to Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze.