"The French biathlete Julia Simon was found guilty of theft and credit card fraud and handed a three-month suspended prison sentence by a French court on Friday. Simon was accused of repeatedly using the bank card of her France teammate, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, and that of a French team staff member to make online purchases totalling more than 2,000 (1,371). I can't explain it."
"I don't remember doing it. I can't make sense of it, the 29-year-old said during the hearing in Albertville, as quoted by local newspaper Le Dauphine Libere. Simon was also fined 15,000 (13,117) after she admitted the thefts during the hearing and offered apologies to the victims, local media reported. Friday's ruling leaves a question mark over Simon's participation at next year's Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy."
"The French ski federation has said it took note of the court's ruling and that its disciplinary commission would meet as soon as possible to determine any disciplinary action at the federation level. Julia Simon won four golds, including the women's 15km individual competition, at this year's world championship. Simon has claimed 10 world championship gold medals in her career including four at the 2025 event in Switzerland and finished third overall in the Biathlon World Cup earlier this year."
Julia Simon was convicted of theft and credit-card fraud and received a three-month suspended prison sentence and a 15,000 fine after admitting repeated misuse of teammates' and staff bank cards for online purchases totaling more than 2,000 (1,371). She told the court she could not explain or remember the actions and apologized to the victims. The ruling raises uncertainty about her participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The French ski federation said it noted the court decision and that a disciplinary commission would meet to consider federation-level sanctions. Simon is a decorated biathlete with multiple world championship golds and an Olympic silver medal.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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