An internet petition in support of the suspended sentence handed to ice skater Maxim Staviski appeared online on January 9 2009, stating that the two-time world champion would be most useful to Bulgarian society when at liberty, Focus news agency said on January 10.

The petition's authors have identified themselves as "organised supporters of Albena [Denkova] and Maxim" and maintain that Staviski should be convicted, but not with a sentence to serve time in prison.

Considering his clean past and humbled conduct for the past year and a half, the skater has shown deep remorse regarding the ill-fated car accident that took place on August 5 2007. He had pleaded guilty and therefore, he deserves second chance, the petitioners have stated.

"The purpose of a prison is to protect society from dangerous people, it is a reforming facility. In this context, we have to say that it is obvious that Maxim already began his  self-reforming before the eyes of our society, including giving his all to help everyone whose life has been affected by the accident," the petition reads. "We think that the court should be an institution that, in its strictness and justice, saves instead of destroys lives."

As previously reported by The Sofia Echo, on January 5 2009, Staviski received a two-and-a-half year effective sentence, imposed by the Bourgas Appellative Court. The sentence was given after the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) ordered that the court case against Staviski be returned for re-trial on October 27 2008. Reportedly, the SCC found some lapses in the way the case had been handled the first time when the skater received a suspended sentence of two years and six months, with five years' probation.

Staviski slammed his Hummer into another vehicle on the road between Bourgas and Sozopol. As a result, one person died and a 19-year-old girl went into coma as her condition has not yet improved. The court found Staviski guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol, which he had denied.

The petition could be found on  http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/fre-maxim-staviski.html.