Winter Olympics 2002. Russian figure skater Alexey Yagudin, centre, his psychologist Rudolf Zagainov, left, and coach Tatiana Tarasova wait for results of Yagudin's free style performance.
Europe Champ Found with Noose around Neck
Europe’s cycling champ Yulia Arustamova, 24, was found dead yesterday in the bathroom with a noose put around the neck. The relatives say renowned sports psychologist Rudolf Zagainov, 67, who was Yulia’s mentor and lover, choked her off in a fit of jealousy. Zagainov, however, claims sports bureaucrats and antidepressant pills drove Yulia to suicide. Investigators back up the suicide story as well.
Yulia Arustamova finished training at Krylatskoe stadium at around 5:30 p.m., Wednesday. In roughly half an hour, she was in the flat, which Zagainov rented for them in Osenny Boulevard.
Yulia threw herself to the sofa completely exhausted after the training for Europe’s championships. “I’m dead,” she said, according to Zagainov. That time, the bodily fatigue was aggravated by depression.
Zagainov said he spent a few hours trying to comfort his girl friend. Closer to the midnight, he recommended a hot bath to her. Yulia was so tied that she couldn’t take off clothes and got to the bath in trunks and singlet, having closed the door on the inside.
Meanwhile, Zagainov rushed to the store for food. When he came back, the door of the bathroom was still closed and Yulia wasn’t responding to calls.
Zagainov first attempted to break the door but then called the flat’s owner, who lives a few floors below. Together, they forced the door open to see Yulia with the bathrobe belt’s noose around the neck.
Yulia was unconscious and the flat’s owner, a professional doctor, attempted to save her by artificial breathing and cardiac massage, to no avail though. The girl died of apnea, first-aid doctors and local policeman concluded.
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