The former head of biathlon’s governing frame has been charged with “gross corruption” following allegations he permitted bribes, prostitutes and unfastened looking journeys from Russia.
Anders Besseberg, who was once president of the International Biathlon Union for almost 26 years, may be accused of receiving a number of pricey watches between 2009 and 2018 together with a leased BMW X5 automobile. If convicted, Besseberg may face 10 years in jail.
The fees observe a three-year investigation by way of Økokrim, Norway’s financial and environmental crime prosecutors. In an indictment printed on Tuesday it accuses Besseberg of receiving “bribes in the form of watches, hunting stays and hunting trophies, prostitutes and a leasing car that he managed from 2011 to 2018 in Norway”.
“Økokrim believes there is evidence that the defendant has received bribes continuously over a 10-year period,” Marianne Djupesland, prosecutor and primary state lawyer, stated. “The seriousness is emphasized by the breach of trust this entails in light of his office as president of the IBU.”
The fee additionally follows a separate unbiased IBU investigation in 2021, which alleged that Besseberg had won presents of between $200,000 and $300,000 from Russian officers after the rustic was once accused of state-sponsored doping.
The IBU record, mentioning proof from the police investigation, stated that Besseberg admitted that he “received the service of a prostitute” whilst staying in Moscow, however denied particular wisdom of who had despatched the girl, announcing simplest that it was once “any person, almost definitely from the Organizing Committee”.
“It was notorious within IBU circles that Mr. Besseberg’s hosts would often provide him with the services of a young, female ‘interpreter’ when he visited Russia,” the record claimed.
The damning 220-page record added: “There is a clear record of Anders Besseberg favoring Russian interests to such a significant extent that it justifies an inference that he did so in exchange for illicit reward, and/or because he was compromised.”
The 77-year-old, who stepped down from the IBU in 2018, denies any felony conduct and maintains that he hasn’t ever permitted a bribe, or sought to steer the IBU’s anti-doping paintings to the good thing about Russia.
“He doesn’t want to comment on the various charges in detail, but will explain himself to the court when the case comes up there,” Christian B. Hjort, his legal professional, stated.