Canoeing Medalist Pardoned

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) â€” An Olympic canoeing medalist was pardoned for a 1997 car accident that killed a pedestrian. <br><br>Michal Martikan was pardoned by President Rudolf Schuster last month. Martikan

Wednesday, December 20th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) â€” An Olympic canoeing medalist was pardoned for a 1997 car accident that killed a pedestrian.

Michal Martikan was pardoned by President Rudolf Schuster last month. Martikan won silver at the Sydney Games in the single canoe slalom event and gold at the 1996 Olympics when he was 17.

Schuster said Wednesday that Martikan was cleared because he has represented Slovakia well in international sporting events.

Martikan was convicted in 1997 and sentenced to seven months' probation and a fine for hitting the pedestrian, who died in the hospital. Martikan lost his driver's license, which Schuster said would not be returned.