French biathlon star Julia Simon found guilty of theft and credit card fraud

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 Dauphiné Libéré. 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. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

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. She also won an Olympic silver medal for France in the mixed relay at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

In its statement, the federation said it will continue, “as it has since the case first came to light, to take all necessary measures to protect the interests of the athletes, the coaching staff, and the team environment.”

Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, has featured at every Winter Olympics since 1960 and will have 11 medal events at the 2026 Games.