Julia Simon has won the Olympic 15km biathlon gold medal less than four months after being found guilty of robbing a team-mate. To be fair to the 89 women in her wake, it would take a brave soul to chase down a convicted thief with a gun.
The Frenchwoman was only cleared to compete in these Games by virtue of a suspended three-month prison sentence and she has since capitalised with her second title in the space of three days, having earlier won the mixed relay.
Whether this latest triumph will be entirely popular within the French team is open to question, especially as one of her victims, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, was in the field. She finished in 80th place, eight and a half minutes behind Simon, who won in 41:15.
The saga around Simon’s involvement here is uniquely surreal. It was in October that the 29-year-old, a 10-time world champion, was brought before a court in Albertville after being accused of repeatedly using the bank card of Braisaz-Bouchet without permission.
Added to similar allegations involving the use of card that belonged to a member of team staff, Simon admitted to credit card fraud and theft, totalling more than €2,000 (£1,371) in online purchases.
Julia Simon won Olympic 15km biathlon gold – after a conviction for robbing a team-mate
Simon is pictured in a courthouse in October as she faced trial for the case
The 29-year-old said during the hearing: ‘I can’t explain it. I don’t remember doing it. I can’t make sense of it.’
Speaking to Eurosport today, the new Olympic individual champion revisited the case.
‘Now, I’d like to be left alone, honestly, because I read some things last night that weren’t pleasant. I proved I belong here today, and I had even proven myself before. I don’t have anything left to prove to anyone, and now I’d like to be left alone to do my biathlon. The past is behind us within the team.
‘We’ve talked things through. Now, we’re here to win medals, to do biathlon. Today, we showed that again.’
Victim Justine Braisaz-Bouchet was in the field but finished well behind Simon
She added: ‘There are so many emotions. I thank my family, my friends, everyone who supported me. Today, it’s come full circle. This is one of the best sporting days of my life.
I’m very proud of my race. I didn’t panic. I skied very well. I feel like I’m on cloud nine.’
Simon was handed a suspended prison sentence and a €15,000 (£13,117) fine, but she was allowed to return to competition one month into a six-month ban, five of which were suspended.
That such a scenario has culminated in a golden double is remarkable, even by the standards of these Winter Games.
