Former International Biathlon Union has been charged with corruption

Former International Biathlon Union (IBU) president Anders Besseberg has been charged with corruption following allegations he accepted bribes, prostitutes and free hunting trips from Russia.

Besseberg was president of the IBU for almost 26 years and is now accused of accepting bribes in the form of expensive watches, a BMW X5 and more between 2009 and 2018. The indictment was made in Norway after a three year investigation with Marianne Djupesland, prosecutor and first state attorney saying “Økokrim believes there is evidence that the defendant has received bribes continuously over a 10-year period. The seriousness is emphasised by the breach of trust this entails in light of his office as president of the IBU.”

A separate IBU investigation found Besseberg accepted bribes between $200,000 and $300,000 from Russian officials following the state-sponsored doping scandal. The IBU report said “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. There is a clear record of Anders Besseberg favouring 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.”

If found guilty Besseberg could face up to 10 years in prison with his lawyer saying he does not wish to comment.

Wednesday, 19 April 2023