Update On World Champion's Involuntary Manslaughter Case

The case against figure skating world champion Maxim Staviski, charged with involuntary manslaughter and aggravated bodily harm, will enter Bulgaria's Court of Appeal on April 7, local press reported Wednesday, citing officials' announcement.

The appeal against Staviski's sentence was filed by the parents of comatose Manuela Gorsova and the relatives of Peter Petrov, who died in the car crash caused by the defender.

In the beginning of February, the skating champion was given a two-and-half-years suspended sentence and five years to be served in probation over drunk driving and causing the heavy crash.

The civil claim filed on behalf of Gorsova and set at two million leva (about 1.5 million U.S. dollars) was rejected and thecourt decided the girl would get 80,000 leva compensation.

The compensation demanded by the parents of Petrov was also cut and Staviski would have to pay 180,000 leva, instead of 500,000 leva.

The deadly crash occurred on Aug. 5 last year after Staviski veered into the opposite lane on a bridge over the Ropotamo River near the coastal city of Burgas and hit headlong into another car with four people sitting in it.

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