| | NICE, France -- A man wielding a razor attacked a French
pairs skater at his hotel room Tuesday, slashing the athlete in the
forearm before fleeing down the corridor.
Stephane Bernadis, 26, suffered a superficial cut that required
several stitches and was in shock after the attack, said Didier
Gailhaguet, president of the French skating federation.
But Bernadis still intended to compete in the final of the World
Figure Skating Championships on Wednesday, said Gailhaguet, who
also heads the event's organizing committee.
Bernadis and his partner, Sarah Abitbol, finished fourth in the
short program Monday night, and are in position to win a medal in
Wednesday's long program. They finished fourth at European
Championships in Vienna five weeks ago and have won the French
pairs title seven times.
The attacker slashed Bernadis' arm when the skater opened the
door to his hotel room, but Bernadis was able to close it and keep
the attacker out. Gailhaguet said Bernadis was too disoriented to
provide a good description of the man.
"We are unable to say if the attack is random or premeditated
or the act of a crazy person," Gailhaguet said. To his knowledge,
Bernadis had not received any previous threats.
Gailhaguet said additional measures would be taken to protect
competitors, without giving details.
Many of the skaters, including members of the U.S. team, have
been staying at the hotel adjacent to the skating venue where the
championships are taking place.
"We're concerned, but confident the organizing committee is
taking the necessary steps to secure the safety of the U.S. team
and all the athletes," said Bob Dunlop, a spokesman for the U.S.
Figure Skating Association.
The members of the French team had each been assigned a
bodyguard before the championships. However, Pierre Montheillet of
the French ice sports federation said the measure was taken only to
provide a buffer between skaters and enthusiastic French fans.
French ice dancer Gwendal Peizerat, who saw Bernadis after the
attack, said the skater was determined to continue the competition.
Peizerat himself received threatening letters and phone calls
following the 1998 Olympics.
"He was in shock, but in good shape," Peizerat said.
Security at figure skating events has been a concern since Nancy
Kerrigan was struck on the knee by an assailant at the 1994 U.S.
Championships in Detroit. Kerrigan's chief rival, Tonya Harding,
pleaded guilty to covering up for her former husband and his
friends, who planned and carried out the attack. | |
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