Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov (Russian: Александр Иванович Тихонов; born 2 January 1947) is a former Soviet 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.

Alexander Tikhonov

Tikhonov in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov
Born	(1947-01-02) 2 January 1947 (age 75) Uyskoye, Kolkhozny, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Professional information
Sport	Biathlon
World Cup debut	13 January 1978
Olympic Games
Teams	4 (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980)
Medals	5 (4 gold)
World Championships
Teams	11 (1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979)
Medals	17 (11 gold)
World Cup
Seasons	3 (1977/78–1979/80)
Individual victories	2
Individual podiums	4
Medal record Men's biathlon Representing  Soviet Union Olympic Games 1968 Grenoble 4 × 7.5 km relay 1972 Sapporo 4 × 7.5 km relay 1976 Innsbruck 4 × 7.5 km relay 1980 Lake Placid 4 × 7.5 km relay 1968 Grenoble 20 km individual World Championships 1969 Zakopane 20 km individual 1969 Zakopane 4 × 7.5 km relay 1970 Östersund 20 km individual 1970 Östersund 4 × 7.5 km relay 1971 Hämeenlinna 4 × 7.5 km relay 1973 Lake Placid 20 km individual 1973 Lake Placid 4 × 7.5 km relay 1974 Minsk 4 × 7.5 km relay 1976 Antholz-Anterselva 10 km sprint 1977 Lillehammer 10 km sprint 1977 Lillehammer 4 × 7.5 km relay 1967 Altenberg 4 × 7.5 km relay 1971 Hämeenlinna 20 km individual 1975 Antholz-Anterselva 4 × 7.5 km relay 1979 Ruhpolding 20 km individual 1977 Lillehammer 20 km individual 1979 Ruhpolding 4 × 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.

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 wouldn’t pursue evidence of doping by Russian athletes. [1]

Conspiracy to commit murder

In 2000, he was accused of participating in planning the murder 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 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 and did not spend any time in prison.[2]

Honours and awards

• Order of Lenin (1980)
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1976)
• Order of the Red Star (1969)
• Order of Friendship (1999)
• Medal "For Labour Valour"
• Medal "For Distinguished Labour"

Biathlon results

All results are sourced from the International Biathlon Union.[3]

Olympic Games

5 medals (4 gold, 1 silver)

Event	Individual	Sprint	Relay
1968 Grenoble	Silver	—	Gold
1972 Sapporo	4th	—	Gold
1976 Innsbruck	5th	—	Gold
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
1967 Altenberg	9th	—	Silver
1969 Zakopane	Gold	—	Gold
1970 Östersund	Gold	—	Gold
1971 Hämeenlinna	Silver	—	Gold
1973 Lake Placid	Gold	—	Gold
1974 Minsk	5th	11th	Gold
1975 Antholz-Anterselva	7th	6th	Silver
1976 Antholz-Anterselva	—	Gold	—
1977 Lillehammer	Bronze	Gold	Gold
1978 Hochfilzen	17th	17th	4th
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 1979	Antholz-Anterselva	10 km sprint	Biathlon World Cup
	6 April 1979	Bardufoss	20 km individual	Biathlon 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

• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event

References

External links

• Alexander Tikhonov at IBU BiathlonWorld.com
• Alexander Tikhonov at IBU BiathlonResults.com
• (in Russian) Biography

На других языках

[de] Alexander Iwanowitsch Tichonow

[fr] Alexandre Tikhonov

[it] Aleksandr Tichonov (sciatore)

[ru] Тихонов, Александр Иванович