MOSCOW -- Figure skater Kira Ivanova, a bronze medalist at the 1984 Olympic Games, was found slain in her apartment, her body covered in knife wounds, the chairman of the Russian Figure Skating Federation said Friday.

Neighbors of the 38-year-old Ivanova discovered her body, said the chairman, Valintin Piseyev. He said police told him she was killed several days ago.

The door to Ivanova's apartment had been broken down and her body was found on the bloodstained bed, Russian media reported. Police put the slaying in a category of crimes blamed on personal disputes, television news reported.

By winning the bronze at the Sarajevo Games, Ivanova became the first and only woman skater from the Soviet Union to win a medal in Olympics singles competition. She came in behind East German Katarina Witt, who won the gold, and American Rosalynn Sumners, who won the silver.

Ivanova was on the Soviet figure skating roster from 1978-88. Her best career finish was a silver in the 1985 World Figure Skating Championships.

After leaving amateur skating, she performed professionally in an ice show called the Theater of Ice Miniatures, founded by four-time champion of the Soviet Union Igor Bobrin. In 1991, she started coaching children at the Dynamo stadium in Moscow.

She had been battling alcoholism, Piseyev said.

"Ivanova became addicted to alcohol in recent years and underwent several treatments, but with no visible results. She quit her coaching for Dynamo in August this year," Piseyev said.

No information was available on survivors or funeral plans.