French biathlete Julia Simon, 29, won the Olympic gold medal in the women's 15km biathlon on [date], despite being convicted of credit card fraud against teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. Braisaz-Bouchet, the victim, finished 80th in the same race, while another French teammate, Lou Jeanmonnot, took silver.
Simon was handed a €15,000 fine and a three-month suspended sentence in October 2024 after admitting to spending over €2,000 using card details belonging to Braisaz-Bouchet and the team physiotherapist between 2021 and 2022. She initially denied the crime for three years, claiming identity theft, but later confessed, stating, "I confess the accusations but I don't remember committing them. It's like a blackout."
The French Ski Federation imposed a six-month ban on Simon, with five months suspended, meaning she missed only one event this season. She also helped France win gold in the mixed relay on Sunday, anchoring the team. After crossing the finish line, Simon held a finger to her lips but declined to explain the gesture.
Braisaz-Bouchet faced online abuse following the scandal, saying, "For many people I was the troublemaker." Simon refused to discuss the conviction, focusing instead on her gold medal: "I'm just focused on my sport... today was the perfect result for me."
