Mona Brorsson and Björn Ferry are SVT's expert commentators on biathlon. Both former national team members believe that the new scandal is worse than Julia Simon's credit card fraud.
It is much bigger, we agree on that, says Ferry.
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, whose credit card Julia Simon stole two years ago, allegedly caught Jeanne Richard trying to manipulate Océane Michelon's rifle during a World Cup competition in March.
This then reportedly led to Richard not being present at the national team's first three camps this summer.
"This is the height of unsportsmanlike conduct. And on your own team!" says Brorsson.
“Couldn't have forgotten”
The French Ski Federation (which includes biathlon) recently confirmed, according to several media outlets, a "violation of the group's rules" that led to a suspension, but that it could not be determined that it was an attempt at sabotage. And both Jeanne Richard and Océane Michelon told Canal+ that the national team had resolved it internally and that the matter had been resolved.
"That it has happened is sick enough. It could never happen in a Swedish team. Never! It's not on the map," says Brorsson.
National team skater Ella Halvarsson agrees.
"It's absolutely fucking disgusting. You would never think of touching other people's things," she says.
Brorsson says she would never be able to ride a relay together after such an incident.
It would have been unthinkable, I couldn't have forgotten this, she says.
She is impressed by how the French biathletes have been able to perform in recent years, when the Julia Simon case hung over them. Simon became the World Cup queen this spring with four golds.
Can be too much fun
Björn Ferry believes that the connection between crisis and performance is not entirely obvious.
Because it can be war and people still function. Just because there are problems and it's really chaotic doesn't mean you're shooting more bombs or not taking part in the competitions or not having a good glide, he says.
Performance and comfort can sometimes be too much. If it's too nice and cozy, you lose the "edge" in it too.
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, involved in both cases, tells Canal+:
I have my opinion, but I can't give it to you.
The World Cup starts in Östersund on Saturday. It will be seen how the French skaters handle the situation during competition.
Ingela Ahlberg/TT
Fredrik Montalvo/TT
Background: French biathlon scandals
TT
In the summer of 2023, Julia Simon was accused of stealing Justine Braisaz-Bouchard's credit card and using it to purchase goods online. Simon denied the charges.
Just before the verdict was handed down at the trial in Albertville in October this year, Simon admitted theft and fraud and was given a three-month suspended sentence. Simon is also said to have defrauded two other people, one of whom was a physiotherapist linked to the French national team.
She was also fined 15,000 euros (equivalent to just over 160,000 SEK).
The French Ski Federation (FFS) suspended Simon for six months, five of which are conditional. The Frenchwoman can now start competing again in the World Cup competition in Hochfilzen on December 12.
She will also pay a fine to the association of 30,000 euros (approximately 332,000 kronor).
Biathlon's independent disciplinary unit, the BIU, has reviewed the case and is satisfied with how the FFS has handled it. The BIU will therefore not open its own investigation. However, it will "continue to monitor any wider problems within the French national team and is prepared to act if new information should emerge," the BIU wrote in a statement on its website.
The story is that in early November it was revealed in French media (Le Dauphiné Liberé, Dicodusport and Nordic Magazine) that Justine Braisaz-Bouchet had caught Jeanne Richard trying to manipulate Océane Michelon's rifle during the World Cup competition in Pokljuka in March. This is said to have led to Richard being missing from the national team's first three camps this summer.
FFS then confirmed that a "violation of the rules in the group" led to the suspension, but that no attempt at sabotage had been established.
