"A punishment was actually necessary. The federation's punishments are often more severe than the legal ones. We therefore expected such a sanction and we accept the decision," Simon's lawyer Christian Borel told L'Équipe.
The disciplinary committee's decision to suspend Julia Simon for six months – five of which are suspended – came after the biathlete was convicted at the end of October of theft and fraud against national team colleague Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. The suspension means that she will not miss the Olympics next year. In addition to the suspension, Simon must also pay a fine of 30,000 euros, equivalent to around 332,000 kronor, to the FFS.
Simon will miss the World Cup premiere in Östersund at the turn of November-December, but can compete again in Hochfilzen on December 12.
This is unless the International Biathlon Union's Disciplinary Committee (BIU) decides to impose a penalty on Simon that entails a longer suspension. BIU head Greg McKenna has written in a message to Radiosporten that the case will be reviewed and that "such a process could take several weeks."
The penalty in the court verdict was a three-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 15,000 euros.
