The credit card scandal involving Julia Simon is making big waves. German biathlon star David Zobel is now hinting at background details regarding the case.
In the credit card scandal surrounding biathlon star Julia Simon, there are still more questions than answers. Although the French athlete, found guilty in court, has confessed, apologized, and stated she is undergoing therapy, Simon could not or would not provide an explicit reason for her offense.
Simon, who used her teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet’s bank card to make online purchases totaling over 2,400 euros, is “suspected” of suffering from kleptomania. This is an impulse control disorder characterized by recurrent thefts without apparent benefit or motive.
German biathlon star David Zobel found it difficult in the “Extrarunde” podcast to fully assess what happened. “A very difficult story. You can only burn your tongue and can only speculate. Of course, I also know some things about it, but nothing confirmed. I think one should stick to the facts,” explained Zobel.
Zobel views Simon’s behavior critically: “Missed the chance to treat the illness early”
The 29-year-old hinted that Simon might have been pursuing some kind of thrill with the thefts. “Unfortunately, she missed the chance to treat this illness early somehow,” he concluded.
“I had also heard that she was offered several times to simply repay the money, apologize, and then begin therapy,” he further elaborated. Zobel also revealed that the French team had long tried to resolve the matter without public knowledge.
“It’s a shame that she (Simon) couldn’t admit to herself earlier that she had a problem. I feel incredibly sorry for her,” Zobel added.
Simon was sentenced to three months of probation for theft and fraud and must also pay a 15,000 euro fine.
Simon faces uncertainty regarding Olympic and World Cup participation
It remains unclear whether the scandal could have more far-reaching consequences for her athletic career. Currently, her participation in the Winter Olympics is also considered uncertain. A commission is now to decide whether she receives a warning regarding World Cup starts or is suspended initially.
In recent years, Simon has been one of the most successful biathletes, winning four gold medals each at the 2024 and 2025 World Championships. Incidentally, four of the eight gold medals were won in relay competitions with her French teammates.