Alexander Tikhonov

Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov (Russian: Александр Иванович Тихонов; born 2 January 1947) is a former Soviet-Russian biathlete. On 23 July 2007, he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to three years of imprisonment, but he was amnestied immediately and did not spend any time in prison.

For other people named Alexander Tikhonov, see Alexander Tikhonov (disambiguation).
In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming conventions, the patronymic is Ivanovich and the family name is Tikhonov.

Alexander Tikhonov
Tikhonov in 2015
Personal information
Full nameAlexander Ivanovich Tikhonov
Born (1947-01-02) 2 January 1947
Uyskoye, Kolkhozny, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Professional information
SportBiathlon
World Cup debut13 January 1978
Olympic Games
Teams4 (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980)
Medals5 (4 gold)
World Championships
Teams11 (1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979)
Medals17 (11 gold)
World Cup
Seasons3 (1977/78–1979/80)
Individual victories2
Individual podiums4
Medal record
Men's biathlon
Representing  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1968 Grenoble 4 × 7.5 km relay
Gold medal – first place1972 Sapporo 4 × 7.5 km relay
Gold medal – first place1976 Innsbruck 4 × 7.5 km relay
Gold medal – first place1980 Lake Placid 4 × 7.5 km relay
Silver medal – second place1968 Grenoble 20 km individual
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1969 Zakopane 20 km individual
Gold medal – first place 1969 Zakopane4 × 7.5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1970 Östersund 20 km individual
Gold medal – first place 1970 Östersund4 × 7.5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1971 Hämeenlinna 4 × 7.5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1973 Lake Placid 20 km individual
Gold medal – first place 1973 Lake Placid4 × 7.5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1974 Minsk4 × 7.5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1976 Antholz-Anterselva10 km sprint
Gold medal – first place 1977 Lillehammer10 km sprint
Gold medal – first place 1977 Lillehammer4 × 7.5 km relay
Silver medal – second place1967 Altenberg4 × 7.5 km relay
Silver medal – second place1971 Hämeenlinna 20 km individual
Silver medal – second place1975 Antholz-Anterselva4 × 7.5 km relay
Silver medal – second place1979 Ruhpolding 20 km individual
Bronze medal – third place1977 Lillehammer 20 km individual
Bronze medal – third place1979 Ruhpolding4 × 7.5 km relay

Life and career

Tikhonov trained at Dynamo in Novosibirsk. He won nine world championship biathlon gold medals and four Olympic gold medals. He lacks an individual Olympic gold medal in his cupboard, but took part in the gold medal relay winning teams in 1968, 1972, 1976, and 1980.

He lived in Austria for several years in the early 2000s.

Tikhonov volunteered to serve in the "special military operation" in Ukraine in 2023.[1]

International Biathlon Union

In May 2002, he was chosen as vice president of the International Biathlon Union (IBU). A two-year investigation by the IBU found that in 2009 he reportedly offered a jewelry box to the IBU Secretary General in the hope that she would not pursue evidence of doping by Russian athletes.[2]

Conspiracy to commit murder

In 2000, he was accused of participating in planning the assassination of Kemerovo Oblast governor Aman Tuleyev. According to the prosecution, a businessman named Mikhail Zhivilo and his company MIKOM had a business conflict with Tuleyev, and Zhivilo decided to organize Tuleyev's murder as revenge. Zhivilo knew Tikhonov and, allegedly, asked him for help. Tikhonov got him in touch with his younger brother, Viktor Tikhonov, who found two potential killers–Vladimir Kharchenko and Sergey Nikanorov. Kharchenko and Nikanorov went to FSB and told them about the murder plans. Viktor Tikhonov was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to four years of imprisonment. Since Alexander Tikhonov lived in Austria for several years, he was indicted separately from the other accused. On 23 July 2007, he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. However, he was amnestied immediately due to his decorated Olympic career and did not spend any time in prison.[3]

Honours and awards

Biathlon results

All results are sourced from the International Biathlon Union.[4]

Olympic Games

5 medals (4 gold, 1 silver)

Event Individual Sprint Relay
France 1968 Grenoble Silver — Gold
Japan 1972 Sapporo 4th — Gold
Austria 1976 Innsbruck 5th — Gold
United States 1980 Lake Placid — 9th Gold
*Sprint was added as an event in 1980.

World Championships

17 medals (11 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze)

Event Individual Sprint Relay
East Germany 1967 Altenberg 9th — Silver
Polish People's Republic 1969 Zakopane Gold — Gold
Sweden 1970 Östersund Gold — Gold
Finland 1971 Hämeenlinna Silver — Gold
United States 1973 Lake Placid Gold — Gold
Soviet Union 1974 Minsk 5th 11th Gold
Italy 1975 Antholz-Anterselva 7th 6th Silver
Italy 1976 Antholz-Anterselva — Gold —
Norway 1977 Lillehammer Bronze Gold Gold
Austria 1978 Hochfilzen 17th 17th 4th
West Germany 1979 Ruhpolding Silver 6th Bronze
*During Olympic seasons competitions are only held for those events not included in the Olympic program.
**Sprint was added as an event in 1974.

Individual victories

2 victories (1 In, 1 Sp)

Season Date Location Discipline Level
1978–79
2 victories
(1 In, 1 Sp)		21 January 1979Italy Antholz-Anterselva10 km sprintBiathlon World Cup
6 April 1979Norway Bardufoss20 km individualBiathlon World Cup
*Results are from UIPMB and IBU races which include the Biathlon World Cup, Biathlon World Championships and the Winter Olympic Games.

See also

References
  1. Medal-winning Olympic biathlete Tikhonov tells of aid effort for Russian troops in Ukraine
  2. Panja, Tariq (28 January 2021). "Hunting Trips, Sex and Cash: How Russia Influenced Biathlon's Leader" – via NYTimes.com.
  3. "Aleksandr Tikhonov Amnestied by the Court". lenta.ru. 23 July 2007.
  4. "Alexander Tikhonov". IBU Datacenter. International Biathlon Union. Archived from the original on 26 July 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
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