Dmitry Nelyubin
Encyclopedia
Dmitry Nelyubin was a Soviet
-Russian track cyclist
. At the age of 17 Nelyubin, together with teammates Viatcheslav Ekimov
, Artūras Kasputis
and Gintautas Umaras
, won the 4000 meter team pursuit
event at the 1988 Summer Olympics
held in Seoul
. Nelyubin was killed in a street fight on the New Year night of January 1, 2005. Murder suspects, natives of Kabardino-Balkaria
, were arrested four years later, in December 2008; the trial began in May 2009 and in September 2009 the jury declared one of the suspects guilty of murder.
in Mexico
. Dmitry spent his school years at the Locomotiv Sports Society boarding school for olympic prospects, with four training events every day, in any weather. His most remarkable achievement, winning the 4000 meter team pursuit at the 1988 Olympics, happened when he was only 17, making him the youngest Olympic champion in cycling. At the 1992 Summer Olympics
Nelyubin competed for the Unified Team of the defunct Soviet Union, coming sixth. Nelyubin continued cycling professionally until 1997 with no significant achievements.
Initial police search of nearby hostels correctly identified two principal suspects, students of a medical college, who had already fled the city. First arrest happened in May 2008 in Dagestan
. In the beginning of December, 2008, investigators reported arrest of four suspects, identified initially only as "natives of Kabardino-Balkaria". Later, names of three suspects were released to the public; name of the fourth, still a minor, remains undisclosed. According to initial prosecution statements released in December 2008, the murder suspect "had mistaken Nelyubin for a skinhead
"; "he admitted to be present at the murder scene and confessed that he did have a knife on him but claims he does not remember how the incident progressed and ended".
In May 2009 the case against two of the suspects was deemed completed and passed to the court (only one of the suspects is charged with murder). According to the prosecution, the crime had no direct motives, thus no hate crime
clauses were invoked. However, the suspects insist that the attack, indeed, had a motive: they mistook Nelyubin for a neo-nazi. According to the suspects, on the New Year night one of their friends was beaten by skinheads and called for help; they ran out of the hostel and attacked Nelyubin party, believing that these were the alleged skinheads.
The trial of Azhagoev brothers ended in September 2009. The jury found one of them guilty of murder, based primarily on statements by witnesses; defence said they would apply for an appellation.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
-Russian track cyclist
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
. At the age of 17 Nelyubin, together with teammates Viatcheslav Ekimov
Viatcheslav Ekimov
Viatcheslav Vladimirovich Ekimov , nicknamed Eki, is a Russian former professional racing cyclist...
, Artūras Kasputis
Arturas Kasputis
Artūras Kasputis is a retired track and road racing cyclist from Lithuania, who represented the USSR at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. There he won the gold medal in the men's 4.000 team pursuit, alongside Viacheslav Ekimov, Dmitry Neliubin and Gintautas Umaras. During the Soviet...
and Gintautas Umaras
Gintautas Umaras
Gintautas Umaras is a retired track and road racing cyclist from Lithuania, who represented the USSR at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. There he won the gold medal in the men's 4 km individual pursuit and in the men's team pursuit, alongside Vyacheslav Ekimov, Dmitry Nelyubin...
, won the 4000 meter team pursuit
Cycling at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Final results for the Cycling competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics. There were two categories of events – road cycling and track cycling.-Medal table:-Men's Events:-Women's events:-References:*...
event at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
held in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Nelyubin was killed in a street fight on the New Year night of January 1, 2005. Murder suspects, natives of Kabardino-Balkaria
Kabardino-Balkaria
The Kabardino-Balkar Republic , or Kabardino-Balkaria , is a federal subject of Russia located in the North Caucasus. Population: -Geography:The republic is situated in the North Caucasus mountains, with plains in the northern part....
, were arrested four years later, in December 2008; the trial began in May 2009 and in September 2009 the jury declared one of the suspects guilty of murder.
Sports career
Dmitry was a son of cyclist Vladislav Nelyubin (born 1947), participant of the 1968 Olympic Games1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Dmitry spent his school years at the Locomotiv Sports Society boarding school for olympic prospects, with four training events every day, in any weather. His most remarkable achievement, winning the 4000 meter team pursuit at the 1988 Olympics, happened when he was only 17, making him the youngest Olympic champion in cycling. At the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
Nelyubin competed for the Unified Team of the defunct Soviet Union, coming sixth. Nelyubin continued cycling professionally until 1997 with no significant achievements.
Murder and investigation
At about 5 a.m. of January 1, 2005 Dmitry and a party of his friends went outdoors to launch fireworks at the corner of Lva Tolstogo Street and Rentgena Street in central Saint Petersburg. A group of aggressive young men confronted Nelyubin's party, a fight broke out. Nelyubin was stabbed in the stomach and fell on the snow; the attackers fled the scene. Emergency medics appeared on the scene half an hour after the attack; after four hours of hospital surgery Nelyubin died of a blood loss at 11:40 of the same day.Initial police search of nearby hostels correctly identified two principal suspects, students of a medical college, who had already fled the city. First arrest happened in May 2008 in Dagestan
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
. In the beginning of December, 2008, investigators reported arrest of four suspects, identified initially only as "natives of Kabardino-Balkaria". Later, names of three suspects were released to the public; name of the fourth, still a minor, remains undisclosed. According to initial prosecution statements released in December 2008, the murder suspect "had mistaken Nelyubin for a skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
"; "he
In May 2009 the case against two of the suspects was deemed completed and passed to the court (only one of the suspects is charged with murder). According to the prosecution, the crime had no direct motives, thus no hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
clauses were invoked. However, the suspects insist that the attack, indeed, had a motive: they mistook Nelyubin for a neo-nazi. According to the suspects, on the New Year night one of their friends was beaten by skinheads and called for help; they ran out of the hostel and attacked Nelyubin party, believing that these were the alleged skinheads.
The trial of Azhagoev brothers ended in September 2009. The jury found one of them guilty of murder, based primarily on statements by witnesses; defence said they would apply for an appellation.