Athletes and coaches urge not to stir up ethnic conflict from the case of Dagestan sambo champion Mirzaev

Sport officials, coaches and athletes believe that only the court should define the guilt of Rasul Mirzaev, the world champion in sambo, who was arrested in the case of the death of a student Ivan Agafonov.

The conflict between the world champion Rasul Mirzaev, 25, and a student Ivan Agafonov, 19, took place on August 13 in central Moscow near the night club "Garage". In the course of the quarrel Mirzaev punched Agafonov in his face, after which the student hospitalized; and at night on August 18 he died in hospital without regaining consciousness. On August 24 the court considered a motion asking to detain the athlete and decided to arrest Mirzaev.

Vasily Shestakov, President of the International Sambo Federation and State Duma Deputy, considers it unacceptable to blow up an interethnic conflict from the incident between athlete Rasul Mirzaev and student Ivan Agafonov.

"The accident that occurred recently in Moscow was a domestic conflict between two young men. Unfortunately, similar quarrels and confrontations happen every day; dozens of them end tragically – in serious traumas or deaths," the RBC (RosBusinessConsulting) quotes MP Shestakov as saying.

Kamil Gadjiev, Rasul Mirzaev's coach has stresses that only the court should find who was right and who was wrong in that resonant case, the "Rosbalt" reports.

"The case has become politically charged. I saw on forums angry nationalist slogans and appeals to severely punish Mirzaev. But it is important to correctly characterize his actions and choose a fair punishment. Then, there will be no unsatisfied persons," said Gadjiev.

See earlier report: "Accused of riots in Manezhnaya Square in Moscow to remain under custody", "Timur Muzaev: fight of Russian nationalists with Caucasian natives in Moscow was a provocation".