Roman Romanchuk, a silver medalist in the super-heavyweight division at the 2005 Amateur Boxing Championship, got into an argument with another man in a central Vladivostok bar at around 8:30 a.m., PTR-Vladivostok, a local television and radio station, cited a police source as saying.
The local resident, Oleg Meshkov, 22, pulled out a four-shot "Osa" pellet gun and fired a warning shot in the air after quarreling with Romanchuk, 29, who also captured the silver medal at the 2006 European Boxing Championships, PTR-Vladivostok reported.
A scuffle ensued, during which Romanchuk grabbed the weapon and shot Meshkov in the eye, the report said. The bullet penetrated Meshkov's brain, and he was hospitalized in critical condition, it said.
Romanchuk tried to flee the scene, but was arrested by local police, PTR-Vladivostok cited the police source as saying.
The Russian boxing team had been holding its pre-Olympic training camp in Vladivostok, and Romanchuk had been helping the fighters get ready for the Beijing Games, which open Aug. 8, said Natalya Kazanova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Boxing Federation.
The team's head coach, Alexander Lebzyak, said the incident would "not disrupt our work."
"Our schedule will continue as planned," Lebzyak said, RIA-Novosti reported. "That Romanchuk has disappointed the team goes without saying."
Southpaw Rakhim Chakhkiyev will represent Russia in the heavyweight division. Chakhkiyev, 25, defeated Romanchuk last year for the spot.
Romanchuk is married and lives in Moscow, according to the Russian Boxing Federation's web site.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.