Despite Credit Card Theft Conviction, French Athlete Becomes Double Olympic Champion

Just four months before the opening of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026 Winter Olympics, Julia Simon of France, who had previously been convicted of stealing and using a teammate's credit card, has become a double Olympic gold medalist.

On February 11 (local time), Simon won the women's 15km individual biathlon at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena in Italy with a time of 41 minutes 15.6 seconds. Having already claimed gold in the mixed relay, Simon secured her second gold medal of these Games and celebrated her first-ever individual Olympic gold in her career.

Julia Simon, a French national, used a colleague's credit card fraudulently. AFP Yonhap News

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Simon had caused controversy before the Olympics due to a theft charge. In October last year, she received a three-month prison sentence, suspended, from a French court for allegedly using the credit cards of her teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and a national team staff member for online shopping.

She was brought to trial on charges of having used their credit card information without authorization between 2021 and 2022 to make online purchases of electronic devices worth about 2,000 euros (approximately 3.4 million won). At first, Simon denied the allegations, claiming that she "could not explain it and did not remember," but she eventually admitted to the charges.

The French Ski Federation handed Simon a six-month suspension, but with five of those months suspended, she was able to compete at the Olympics.

Victim Beurejabusye, whose card was stolen by Simong. EPA Yonhap News

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In the race, Simon was running in second place until the final shooting, but while Francesca Preuss of Germany, who had been leading, missed two shots and incurred a two-minute penalty, Simon stayed composed and managed to come from behind to win. Over the entire shooting portion, Simon missed only one target.

After the race, Simon told foreign media, "I poured all my energy into my goal," adding, "It was a tough time, but I am proud of myself, and today was a perfect race." By contrast, Braisaz-Bouchet, the "victim" whose card had been misused by Simon, competed in the same individual event but finished only 80th.

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