MOSCOW, July 29: Russian heavyweight boxer Roman Romantchouk, a member of the country’s Olympic squad, was arrested in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok on Monday after firing a shot during a row.

After a night out, Romantchouk reportedly got into an argument with a man who pointed a pistol at him, police sources told the Ria Novosti and Itar-Tass agencies.

The 29-year-old boxer managed to grab the gun and fired on his attacker, who was hospitalised in a serious condition.

Russian boxing team coach Alexandre Lebziak confirmed that Romantchouk was a member of the Olympic squad but that he would not be competing in the Games as another boxer, Rakhim Tchakhkiev, had been selected in the 91kg category.—AFP