The body of missing Olympian Yulia Balykina has been found dumped in woodland near Minsk in Belarus.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The champion sprinter had been missing since October 28.
Police spokesman Alexander Turban said the body of the 31-year-old had been wrapped in cellophane and concealed in woods near a village just outside the Belrussian capital.
"It was wrapped in plastic wrap and carefully covered with moss," spokesman Sergei Kabakovich told Agence France-Presse.
Earlier, investigators said a search of Ms Balykina's residence and car had turned up "traces which together with other collected materials indicate a murder has been committed".
Belarussian authorities had previously detained a suspect - an acquaintance of Ms Balykina's - who had confessed to the murder.
The man told police that he had stuffed her body into a car and taken it to the forest, but he had forgotten where he hid the body.
Up to 300 soldiers from the Belarus army combed through 30 square kilometres before finding the body on Monday local time, Mr Kabakovich said.
Ms Balykina's father also searched the woods with the search rescue team dubbed "Angel".
A crime scene has been established and forensic experts are examining the site.
Police have arrested Ms Balykina's former boyfriend, identified only as Dmitry V., on suspicion of murder.
Investigators said the 28-year-old shared an apartment with Ms Balykina.
It is understood the pair were in a relationship but broke up several months ago.
A friend of Ms Balykina told police last week that the sprinter had complained her former boyfriend had made threats, local media reported.
"I saw Yulia a couple of weeks ago. She said Dmitry had told her 'if you leave me I will do it and go to jail'," Ms Balykina's friend said, according to an English translation of a Russian language interview published in Charter 97.
"She said 'I don't know what to do. I feel sorry for him,'" the friend said.
Ms Balykina ran for Belarus in the 100 metres and 4x100 relay at the 2012 Olympics in London but received a two-year doping ban in 2013.
Her suspension ended in July. She had been working as a children's sports coach.
With AP
