BARNAUL, Russia, March 4 (R-Sport) - Former-mixed martial arts champion Alexander Emelianenko has been fined after pleading guilty to harassing passengers and crew on an airplane, Russian prosecutors said Monday.
Emelianenko, brother of ex-champion Fedor, announced his retirement on health grounds less than a week after the incident on a flight from Moscow to the Siberian city of Barnaul in December.
A video of the incident spread quickly on the Internet. In the clip, Emelianenko appears to be drunk as he scuffles with passengers and crew.
“During the flight, the renowned athlete caused a breach of public order, spoke loudly, molested passengers, provoked them into fights, did not react to remarks from the cabin crew, demanded liquor, used foul language, smoked in the airplane,” Barnaul transport prosecutors said in a statement issued to media.
Emelianenko, 31, admitted a low-level hooliganism charge and was fined 700 rubles (about $22), prosecutors said.
Four days after the incident on the flight, the M1 Global MMA promotion canceled its contract with the fighter, with president Vadim Finkelstein citing numerous breaches of contract on the part of Emelianenko.
Hours after M1 Global’s decision, Emelianenko said he would retire.
