French biathlete Simon gets suspended jail term over credit-card fraud

PARIS :French biathlete Julia Simon was sentenced on Friday to a three-month suspended prison term and fined 15,000 euros ($17,493.00)for credit-card fraud and theft, which puts her participation in next year’s Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in doubt.

Simon, the 2023 overall World Cup winner and one of France’s top medal hopes for the Games, admitted “the entirety of the facts” before the Albertville criminal court and apologised to her victims — teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and a team physiotherapist.

“I’m sorry ... I can’t explain my gesture. I’ve had to work with a psychologist to understand and grow from this,” she told the court, according to French media.

The French Skiing federation (FFS) said in a statement that its disciplinary committee would convene “at the earliest opportunity” to rule on Simon’s case.

The prosecution cited two fraudulent transactions made with the victims’ bank cards. Simon had previously denied wrongdoing, saying in 2023 that her name had been used without her knowledge and that she had filed a complaint for identity theft.

The case has shaken French biathlon ahead of the Milano Cortina Games, which start on February 6 next year.

Simon, 29, has won 10 world championship gold medals.

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