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Attack French skater suffers cut in hotel incident
Posted: Tuesday March 28, 2000 01:27 PM
NICE, France (AP) - A man wielding a razor attacked French pairs skater Stephane Bernadis at his hotel room Tuesday afternoon, cutting the skater in the forearm before fleeing down the corridor. Bernadis suffered a long, superficial cut requiring three or four stitches, said Didier Gailhaguet, head of the World Figure Skating Championships organizing committee and president of the French skating federation. Gailhaguet said Bernadis was in shock, but the pair intended to compete at the final long program on Wednesday. Bernadis and his partner Sarah Abitbol finished fourth in the short program Monday night, and are in position to win a medal. They finished fourth at Europeans in Vienna five weeks ago. The attacker slashed Bernadis arm when the skater opened the door to his room, but the skater was able to close the door 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 being specific. Many of the skaters, including members of the U.S. team, have been staying at the hotel adjacent to the skating venue where the attack occurred. "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 U.S. Figure Skating Association spokesman Bob Dunlop. The members of the French team had each been assigned a body guard before the championships. However, Pierre Montheillet, technical director of the French ice sports federation, said the measures were taken to provide a buffer with enthusiastic French fans, not because of any specific threat. French ice dancer Gwendal Peizerat, who saw Bernadis after the attack, said the skater was determined to continue the competition. Piezerat himself received threatening letters and phone calls following the 1998 Olympics. Security at figure skating championships has been a concern since Nancy Kerrigan was struck on the knee by an assailant at the 1994 United States 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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