Norwegian TV channel NRK reported that the court of Buskerud province found Anders Bessberg, the initiator and first president of the International Biathlon Union (IBU), guilty of corruption charges.
According to sources, the 78-year-old sports official's guilt has been proven in eight points of accusation, including taking bribes from Russian biathlon officials, violating anti-doping rules, and engaging in multiple intimate relationships. The sentencing is ongoing.
The prosecution requests three years and seven months of imprisonment, a fine of one million Norwegian kroner (88 thousand euros) and confiscation of property worth 1.45 million kroner (128 thousand euros) for the ex-president of the IBU (1993-2018). Recall that in January 2024 Besseberg was suspended from any work in the organization and fined 1.1 million kroner.
