She defrauded her teammates and denied the accusations for three years. Yet, Ole Einar Bjørndalen believes the convicted biathlon star will still compete at the Olympics.

For three years, French biathlon star Julia Simon denied accusations of fraud and theft from her national team colleague Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and several other team members.

On Friday, October 24, Simon appeared in court in Albertville as the defendant in a criminal case. Confronted with evidence gathered during a two-year investigation, the 29-year-old confessed in court, including additional charges involving other victims not listed in the original 2023 complaint.

She was sentenced to a three-month suspended prison term and a fine of €15,000.

Also Read: Biathlon star convicted of fraud – Had hundreds of thousands in the bank

But beyond the criminal sentence, Simon now faces possible sporting, financial, and professional consequences.

On November 6, the French Ski Association will announce whether it will impose further sanctions. The organization could suspend Simon for a specific period, or even remove her entirely from the national team.

Read More: Emergency disciplinary meeting – On Monday, Simon could lose everything

Olympic chances at risk?

Many have speculated whether the 29-year-old will now be banned from competing at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina.

Biathlon legend Ole Einar Bjørndalen believes Julia Simon will still get her Olympic chance:

“I think she’ll be suspended (from competitions) before Christmas, but ready again in the new year. Once someone has been sentenced and served their punishment, they should be allowed to start over. That’s important to remember,” Bjørndalen told TV2.

He also praised the French biathlon system for its handling of the situation and for the women’s team’s continued dominance internationally despite internal turmoil.

“Hats off to how they’ve managed to perform with this case hanging over them. Now we just have to wait and see what the French association decides,” said Bjørndalen.

Would face a lengthy ban in Norway

Norwegian sports lawyer Pål Kleven, however, believes Simon would have missed the 2026 Olympics if she were under Norwegian jurisdiction.

“If a similar situation had occurred in Norway, it would fall under the Norwegian Sports Federation’s sanctioning rules (paragraph 1–4 letter d), which also apply to athletes who commit financial misconduct,” Kleven told TV 2.

He added:

“A realistic outcome would likely have been a suspension from all sporting activity for a period of six to twelve months.”

More sanctions possible

The possible penalties may not end with the French association’s decision on November 6. The Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) has now confirmed that it is also reviewing the case.

The BIU is responsible for investigating and prosecuting breaches of biathlon’s integrity code — covering everything from doping and corruption to betting, harassment, and abuse. Acting as an independent ethics body, it can impose sanctions on behalf of the IBU.

“The BIU is reviewing the case and is in contact with the French federation to understand the circumstances and potential consequences,” Greg McKenna, head of the BIU, wrote in an email to TV 2.

He emphasized that the BIU will not take any action until the French federation has announced its decision.

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