Prosecutors probe death of hockey star

Posted: 12.02.2008 at 9:01 AM

MOSCOW (AP) - Moscow regional prosecutors have blamed an ice arena manager and a hockey club director for negligence in the death of rising Russian star Alexei Cherepanov. Prosecutors said in a statement posted on their Web site Tuesday that the manager of the Moscow region arena where Cherepanov was playing failed to coordinate proper emergency medical services before the game. The 19-year-old Cherepanov collapsed Oct. 13 while on the bench for Omsk club Avangard in Russia's Continental Hockey League. He died a short time later Investigators called into question the competency of the arena manager and the director of the KHL club Vityaz, which Avangard was playing against. Prosecutors did not say whether they were planning to file criminal charges.