Confession in criminal court Biathlon world champion Simon admits credit card fraud against teammate
The Julia Simon case has kept the French biathlon team busy since the end of September 2022. First she denied everything. Now the U-turn and the confession. It could have serious consequences.
24.10.2025, 15:34
dpa
French biathlon world champion Julia Simon has admitted to all charges of theft and fraud in the controversial credit card scandal. "I confess to the charges," said the 29-year-old at the criminal court in Albertville. A few months before the Winter Olympics in Milan, the public prosecutor's office demanded a two-month suspended prison sentence and a 20,000 euro fine.
"I can't remember committing these acts," said the 2023 overall World Cup winner, failing to provide a precise explanation. She had previously denied the allegations and argued that she herself had been the victim of identity theft.
The ten-time world champion is accused of stealing credit cards from her teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (29) and another member of the French national team and using them to make online purchases in the summer of 2022.
Simon apologizes to teammate
The allegations of fraud arose internally at the end of September 2022. Braisaz-Bouchet filed a complaint in the early summer of 2023. Simon was temporarily excluded from team training in 2023 as a result, and in October she was even briefly taken into police custody.
Simon apologized to the victims. There were "no financial motives" for her actions. When asked by the public prosecutor why she had photos of Braisaz-Bouchet's bank cards, Simon replied: "I have something of a blackout." He also referred to the "costly, international investigation" because Simon was constantly undermining the investigation with new evidence. She had been "fully aware" of her actions, which, like her belated confession, raised questions about respect for victims and social order.
Federation demands symbolic euro as compensation
The French Ski Federation (FFS) demanded a symbolic euro as compensation. It is important that the athletes now come to rest.
Braisaz-Bouchet's lawyer said that she could not be satisfied with this. In addition to the admission of guilt, further explanations were necessary.
The federation's independent national disciplinary commission had already dealt with "internal events in the French biathlon team" in spring 2023. The federation will comment on possible consequences of its own after the verdict against Simon. In the worst case scenario, she could face a ban.
