French Biathlon Star Julia Simon Found Guilty Of Theft And Credit Card Fraud

The French biathlete Julia Simon was recovered blameworthy of theft and in installments paper fraud and handed a three-month suspended situation condemnation by a French tribunal connected Friday.

Simon was accused of many times utilizing nan slope paper of her France teammate, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, and that of a French squad unit personnel to make online purchases totalling much than €2,000 (£1,371).

“I can’t explicate it. I don’t retrieve doing it. I can’t make consciousness of it,” nan 29-year-old said during nan proceeding successful Albertville, arsenic quoted by section newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré. Simon was besides fined €15,000 (£13,117) aft she admitted nan thefts during nan proceeding and offered apologies to nan victims, section media reported.

Friday’s ruling leaves a mobility people complete Simon’s information astatine adjacent year’s Winter Olympics successful Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo successful Italy. The French skis federation has said it took statement of nan court’s ruling and that its disciplinary committee would meet arsenic soon arsenic imaginable “to find immoderate disciplinary action astatine nan federation level.”

Julia Simon won 4 golds, including nan women's 15km individual competition, astatine this year’s world championship. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Simon has claimed 10 world title golden medals successful her profession – including 4 astatine nan 2025 arena successful Switzerland – and vanished 3rd wide successful nan Biathlon World Cup earlier this year. She besides won an Olympic metallic badge for France successful nan mixed relay astatine nan 2022 Winter Games successful Beijing.

In its statement, nan federation said it will continue, “as it has since nan lawsuit first came to light, to return each basal measures to protect nan interests of nan athletes, nan coaching staff, and nan squad environment.”

Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing pinch firearm shooting, has featured astatine each Winter Olympics since 1960 and will person 11 badge events astatine nan 2026 Games.