Police in the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk say they are still seeking a suspect in the killing of Andrei Drachev, a world powerlifting medal winner, denying earlier media reports that a man was in custody.
"The man suspected of inflicting deadly injuries to Drachev is still at large, and law enforcement officers are carrying out measures aimed at detaining the suspect," said Ilya Gudkov, a senior aide to the head of the Khabarovsk Territory's Investigative Committee.
TASS had earlier quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying the 25-year-old man detained is an athlete involved in mixed-martial arts (MMA).
Drachev was killed on August 20 during a street altercation in central Khabarovsk, police reported.
Witnesses said the men were arguing in a cafe about the merits of their respective sports before the fight broke out.
The AmurMedia news agency reported that Drachev, 31, suffered serious head injuries and was transported to a hospital, where he did not regain consciousness.
Drachev won a silver medal at the 2011 world powerlifting championships in the Czech Republic. Media reports listed Khabarovsk as his hometown.
