MOSCOW, January 9 Former President of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) ) Anders Besseberg said in court in the Norwegian city of Hokksund that he does not admit his guilt on charges of corruption.
The court hearing in the Besseberg case started on January 9 and will last until February 16. Previously, Besseberg, who was IBU president for more than 25 years, was charged with corruption for the period from 2009 to 2018.
As NRK reports from the court hearing, the official is accused by the prosecutor's office of receiving bribes in the form of watches, some of which are estimated at 195,000 Norwegian kroner (about 18 thousand dollars), and others he could have received from the former president of the Russian Biathlon Union (SBR) Alexandra Tikhonova.
Also of a corrupt nature, according to the prosecution, were Besseberg's hunting trips to Russia, which, according to the prosecutor, were paid for by Russian officials. One of the trips is allegedly related to the World Cup stage in Khanty-Mansiysk in 2018. The total cost of trophies from trips to the Czech Republic and Austria is about 500 thousand crowns (48 thousand dollars).
In addition, the prosecution alleges Besseberg's use of the services of prostitutes ordered for the functionary by Russian government officials, which also constitutes corruption. The former head of the IBU also allegedly used a rented BMW car for a total of 850 thousand crowns ($82 thousand), which was paid for by the company Infront, which had an agreement with the IBU on marketing and sponsorship rights for the competition.
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