The 41-year-old was killed in Saransk on Saturday (December 24) at the age of 41 following an attack on him by a man with a knife, the Russian Cycling Federation announced today.

A 28-year-old man called Roman Chernov was arrested earlier today and detained in prison until February, Russian state-owned domestic news agency RAI Novosti reported.

According to reports, an argument broke out in a café in the Leninsky district between two men who did not know each other.

The row continued outside the café which ended in Levin being stabbed to death.

Local social media reports claimed that the argument started when Levin intervened after Chernov was allegedly mistreating a young woman.

Levin was at the forefront of establishing BMX as a sport in Russia.

He won the Russian Championship in 1997, 1998 and 2000.

"We express our condolences to Vladimir's family, relatives and colleagues," Pavel Kostyukov, coach of the Russian BMX cycling team, said.

"It's hard to believe that he is no longer with us."

Levin, who was buried today, is survived by his wife and seven-year-old daughter.