Ex-Olympics official 'poisoned'

Moscow, April 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The former head of the ski jump construction project for next year's Winter Olympics in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi said he has been poisoned with mercury.

Akhmed Bilalov was publicly censured by Russian president Vladimir Putin last month over delays and cost overruns during his time in charge of the RusSki Gorki ski jump complex.

He has since fled to Germany with his brother. Russian authorities have claimed he misspent millions of dollars while in charge of a state-owned firm, Northern Caucasus Resorts.

Reports in the Russian media cited Bilalov as saying Saturday mercury had been found in his blood, and the website gazeta.ru cited an unnamed source close to Bilalov as saying traces of the metal were present at a Moscow office where he used to work.

Russian police said they would investigate the claims if Bilalov made a formal complaint.

"Bilalov obviously can turn to the law enforcement bodies with the relevant application," an Interior Ministry spokesperson said. "It will be looked into in the specified manner."

The beleaguered Bilalov was removed from his role as vice-president of the Russian Olympic Committee in February.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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