The path to an Olympic gold medal can look different.
Just ask Julia Simon.
The star went all out as France took home Olympic gold in the opening mixed relay, 25.8 seconds ahead of Italy. And she herself crossed the finish line in the final leg.
"Just that I got to race today, we have so many good skiers. I felt the pressure and I wanted to show the coaches that I was strong enough to take the last stretch," she said at the press conference.
It felt so good. There were so many emotions.
Trial last fall
The fact that it was emotional for Simon was due to the turbulent autumn.
The ten-time world champion – who won four gold medals at the World Championships in Switzerland last year – was reported to the police in 2022 by her teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet for using her credit card and making purchases worth tens of thousands of kronor.
After a long period of denial, Julia Simon confessed in court in Albertville last fall.
"There were no economic motives for my actions. Today I'm just taking it one day at a time, because standing before you will have consequences for my career. It was ridiculous and stupid, because I didn't need it," Simon said, according to the Dauphiné Libéré newspaper.
Investigators believe Simon also defrauded two other people. One of them was a physiotherapist connected to the French national team. The court heard that the victims had tried to reach a settlement and a repayment solution with Simon. When that failed, the case ended in court.
“A big moment”
Julia Simon was given a three-month suspended prison sentence and fined the equivalent of just over 160,000 SEK.
In addition, she was suspended by the French Ski Federation for six months. However, five months were conditional, and when the biathlon disciplinary unit BIU did not impose an additional penalty on Julia Simon, she was able to participate in the Olympics.
The French national team teammates and leaders have said they have forgiven Simon. The fact that she was left out of France's first race at the Olympics is perhaps the best proof.
"It was a big moment," Simon said.
