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Figure-skating champion challenges journalist over libel

Moscow police will make an additional inquiry into a complaint lodged by world famous figure skater Yevgeny Plushchenko

MOSCOW, February 27 (Itar-Tass) - Moscow police will make an additional inquiry into a complaint lodged by world famous figure skater Yevgeny Plushchenko against TV commentator Andrei Zhurankov, the press service of Moscow police told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

On February 22 an interrogation department of the Moscow Head Interior Department decided not to open a criminal case based on Yevgeny Plushchenko's complaint, in which the skater challenged the commentator for libel, because of the absence of elements of crime in the journalist’s conduct which might have been punished by the Criminal Code, it said.

A linguistic examination conducted by experts proved the absence of false information in the commentator's report which might have infringed on the plaintiff's honor, dignity or undermined the plaintiff's business reputation, Moscow police said.

Yevgeny Plushchenko lodged a complaint with Moscow police after the commentator had declared during a broadcast of the ISU Four Continents Championship that the episode of Plushchenko's surgery "reminded him of a PR act."

Tatyana Akimtseva, a lawyer for Yevgeny Plushchenko, said she did not know anything about the results of the expert examination yet, but if Plushchenko's complaint was turned down they would file a lawsuit, asking to defend Plushchenko's honor, dignity and his business reputation, the lawyer told Itar-Tass.