The French biathlon team is once again surrounded by controversy. A new conflict has erupted within the women’s squad, where one of the athletes allegedly tampered with a teammate’s rifle.

Last week, it was confirmed that Julia Simon has been suspended for six months, with five of those months conditional, following the fraud scandal that has affected the French women’s team over the past year. Now, yet another scandal is shaking the star-studded lineup.

Also Read: Biathlon star suspended – Olympic start still possible

Sabotage

Several French media outlets, including Dicodusport, report that Jeanne Richard allegedly tried to secretly tamper with teammate Océane Michelon’s rifle before a competition. However, Richard was reportedly caught in the act by Justine Braisaz-Bouchet.

Both Richard and Michelon took part in the World Championships in Lenzerheide, with Michelon also being part of the gold medal-winning relay team.

The 23-year-old denies that the incident occurred, but according to Biathlon Live, the French Ski Federation has confirmed that the matter was handled internally.

Expert reacts strongly

SVT expert Björn Ferry says this is one of the worst things an athlete can do in biathlon.

“It’s one of the meanest things you can do. It’s like a cross-country skier putting glue on someone’s skis or unscrewing a binding. Tampering with a teammate’s equipment is extremely serious,” he says, adding:

“If someone does something like this to a teammate, I find it hard to see how they could remain part of the national team at all.”

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