Biathlon: Swedish stars react to Julia Simon’s sentence: “Not jealous”

Swedish biathlon stars have reacted to the recent sentencing of French biathlete Julia Simon for theft and fraud.

Last Friday, Simon pleaded guilty to both charges and was handed a three‑month suspended prison sentence and a €15,000 fine (about 160,000 SEK). “It feels like I’m in a black hole,” she said in court.

Elvira Öberg told SVT Sport: “I’m not jealous of having to handle that within a team,” reflecting on the turmoil such a case brings to a national squad.

The case dates back to 2022, when Simon was reported to police for stealing teammate Justine Braisaz‑Bouchet’s credit card and making purchases worth tens of thousands of kronor. The 29‑year‑old is one of the sport’s biggest names and won four gold medals at the World Championships in Switzerland earlier this year. According to French media, she now risks being suspended from the national team because of the verdict.

Other Swedish biathletes, including Hanna Öberg and Ella Halvarsson, were referenced in SVT’s coverage as the team digested the implications for the upcoming season.