Last Friday, former President of the International Biathlon Union (IBU), Anders Besseberg, was found guilty in a corruption case. A Norwegian court sentenced him to three years and one month in prison.
According to the allegations, Besseberg received gifts, including expensive watches, from Russian officials and sports functionaries, availed himself of the services of sex workers at someone else’s expense, and indulged in expensive hunting trips to Russia, the Czech Republic, and Germany.
Transparency International Russia Executive Director Ilia Shumanov, took part in the proceedings as a prosecution witness, providing the court with necessary information about the corrupt climate in Russia and Anders Besseberg’s ties to Russian sports officials. Among the numerous charges, the fact of informal contacts between the former IBU president and Russian officials was not contested — the convicted individual regularly received gifts and services.
“The trial proved to be quite lengthy due to the collection of evidence and the testimony of witnesses. Both the defense and the prosecution had the opportunity to present their arguments. Besseberg himself changed his testimony several times, particularly regarding the payment for services of sex workers in Russia. The verdict against Besseberg is a severe blow to the reputation of Russian biathlon. A significant portion of the victories in Russian biathlon is now cast into doubt. Undoubtedly, biathlon is one of the most popular winter sports for many Russians, but propaganda will do everything to ensure that this investigation has no effect on the audience,” stated Mr Shumanov.
Holding Besseberg accountable is a significant victory for the anti-corruption movement in Russia and Europe. We thank the experts from Transparency International Russia and the Norwegian chapter of the organization for their assistance in preparing for the court session.
Let us remind ourselves that our goal is a world free from corruption. Together, we will achieve this.
Photo:championat.com
