– So that it was as bad as this, I had not imagined that, Besseberg exclaimed in court as the sixth day of the trial against him drew to a close. Then he had seen several e-mails, which the former president of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) expressed that surprised him. Besseberg is charged with gross corruption, but pleads not guilty after the indictment. The company Infront is also at the center of the indictment. The questioning about this continues on Thursday where close ties are pointed out, especially between Anders Besseberg and his hunting buddy Volker Scmid, who had a role in this company. Among other things, new seized emails were shown which showed that a role in an IBU committee was discussed for Schmid, at the same time he had a role in Infront. – I have never said that I do not want him in, but I was very skeptical about the composition of such a selection, said Besseberg in court on Thursday morning. The prosecutor had then pointed out that she had not seen in documents or emails that Besseberg had shown skepticism about such a dual role for his hunting companion. Prosecution decision against Anders Besseberg The state prosecutors at Økokrim put Herved Anders Besseberg (…) under prosecution at the Buskerud district court for violation of: for the period up to 01.10.2015: the Criminal Code (1902) § 276 b first paragraph, cf. second paragraph, cf. § 276 a first paragraph letter a for himself or others to have demanded, received or accepted an offer of undue advantage on the occasion of a position, office or assignment, including abroad. The corruption is considered to be serious otherwise because it is committed by breach of the special trust that accompanies his office or assignment and because it has provided significant financial benefit, and for the period after 01.10.2015: Criminal Code (2005) § 388, cf. § 387 first paragraph letter a, cf. second paragraph for having for himself or others demanded, received or accepted an offer of an undue advantage on the occasion of the exercise of a position, office or the performance of an assignment. Position, position or assignment also means position, position or assignment abroad. Corruption is serious because particular emphasis is placed on the fact that the act has been committed in breach of the special trust that comes with his position, office or assignment, and because it has resulted in significant financial benefit. Basis: While Besseberg resided in Vestfossen in Norway and in connection with his position as president of The International Biathlon Union (IBU), he demanded, accepted or received the following benefits in the period 2009 – 2018: Once in 2011, probably in connection with board meeting no. 100 of the IBU in March 2011 in Khanty-Mansiysk in Russia, he received an Omega watch (colour copper/black) from an official in Russian biathlon. The value of the watch was approximately NOK 195,000. Sometime probably in April 2013, and prior to the Winter Olympics in Sochi in Russia in 2014, he accepted an offer for a prostitute who was procured for him from an official in Russian biathlon. This probably happened in connection with a biathlon show race in Moscow. Sometime probably in 2013, and during a biathlon event in Russia, he received a Hublot watch from a Russian official in the Ugra region. The watch was worth approximately NOK 70,000. In April 2013, in connection with a trip to Tyumen in Russia, he was ordered by Russian government officials to stay and go on a hunting and fishing trip at a hunting resort, where he was taken by helicopter. During the stay, moose, wild boar and deer were hunted. In 2014, at the end of the Biathlon World Cup in Holmenkollen in Norway, he received a Ulysses Nardin watch (colour: black with leather strap) from an official in Russian biathlon. The value of the watch was approximately NOK 78,000. In October 2015, he was charged with a hunting trip to Tyumen by an official in Tyumen, Russia. Besseberg also received a free trophy after killing a maral deer. In the period 2015 to 2018, Besseberg on several occasions accepted offers of prostitutes organized and offered to him by government officials connected to Russian biathlon. The association with a woman over several days and nights was arranged for him by such persons on at least two occasions, i.e. probably in March 2016 in Khanty-Mansiysk in Russia in connection with an IBU World Cup event, and in March 2018 in Tyumen in Russia in connection with the IBU World Cup finale. In March 2018, on the occasion of a stay in Tyumen in Russia, Besseberg was entrusted by Russian government officials with a hunting and fishing trip with accommodation and hospitality at a hunting resort in Russia. During the trip, Besseberg hunted maral deer and wild boar. In the period 2009 – 2018, Besseberg had a standing agreement to participate in hunting trips with the owner and general manager of the company APF Marketing Services GmbH (hereinafter “APF”), who was later a consultant for Infront Austria GmbH (hereinafter “Infront”) and a member of Infront’s advisory body. Hunting stays and hunting trophies were free for Besseberg and were paid for by the person concerned, his company or by Infront. The hunt took place regularly one to three times per year. years in Austria and/or the Czech Republic on exclusive hunting grounds. Usually, Besseberg also received trophies from the animals he felled. During this period, APF and later Infront had agreements with the IBU on marketing and sponsorship rights for IBU biathlon events or were in negotiations with the IBU on such agreements, which Besseberg approved/signed in his capacity as president of the IBU. In the period 2011 – 2018 at his place of residence in Norway, Besseberg privately disposed of a car of the type BMW X5 for which Infront covered the leasing costs. The value of this was approx. NOK 850,000. The benefits are considered inappropriate, and the violation is considered serious, especially because of the value, because there was a lack of transparency about the benefits he received, because by accepting the benefits, Besseberg broke the trust that accompanied his position in the IBU, because he acted contrary to the IBU guidelines and because by virtue of his role in the IBU he had the opportunity to influence decisions of importance for Russian biathlon and for APF/Infront. Allegation of confiscation, cf. Penal Code §§ 67 and 69, cf. § 75, is reserved for dismissal. Emails reveal It is precisely this giant company Infront, which negotiates marketing agreements for the International Biathlon Union, the inquiry dealt with when Besseberg reacted with astonishment. Emails seized from Infront in Austria shed new light on the trial against Besseberg on Wednesday. Økokrim presented these in court. – There are things that are completely unknown to me, said Besseberg after being shown one of the emails from Volker Scmid, which has been seized in Austria. Anders Besseberg is questioned about a number of charges in court. The picture is from 2017. Photo: NTB Scmid is a person whom Besseberg has referred to as a hunting companion for several decades. He was also one of the leaders in APF Marketing who arranged marketing agreements for the IBU. Schmid became part of Infront’s advisory body after his company APF Marketing was acquired by that company. Schmid had close ties with Besseberg, who, among other things, was a guest at his birthday. In the e-mail that Schmid sent to Philip Blatter, chief executive of Infront, in November 2009, it is written, among other things: “Volker Scmid will first and foremost discreetly continue advising and taking responsibility for the IBU via the president. Neither Volke Scmid nor Anders Besseberg intend for this business to become official. Both parties believe it is much better that this consultation continues quietly and successfully,” the email said before continuing: “However, Besseberg maintains the plan that Volker Scmid be appointed an honorary member of the IBU on the occasion of the IBU congress in St. Petersburg in September and then the podium gets a few minutes for known reasons”. – For me, what I am reading here is completely unknown. And I’m not on any copy list either, said Besseberg in court when the prosecutor wanted comments on the email. At the same time, he denied that Schmid received an honorary member award at the 2010 congress or that it was discussed. Sparring partner At the same time, Besseberg had admitted that Scmid acted as a sparring partner for him. Scmid first owned the company APF Marketing, which had close collaboration with Besseberg and IBU. Then the company was acquired by Infront. – Here it appears that Volker Schmid presents that you have an agreement that this business, or the continued consultancy, shall not be given an official character, asked the prosecutor. – It’s like that, and I see he mentions my name too, that I want it. I haven’t even had a clue about that, Besseberg replied. Anders Besseberg’s passion for hunting has been repeatedly highlighted in court. An indictment also concerns hunting in Austria and the Czech Republic. Here is Besseberg with a field mouflon that lives in central parts of Europe. Besseberg said he was not surprised that Schmid, with whom he has hunted for more than 30 years, tried to market himself to Blatter. He was then asked about Schmid being his sparring partner and mentor. – Who in the IBU knew about that, asked the prosecutor – I can’t say that here now, but everyone knew that I was on those hunting trips with Volker Schmid. He testified that he experienced that Infront or Schmid influenced him. Bonus The prosecutor also pointed out that it was also stated in the e-mail that it should be considered whether Volker Scmid should receive a bonus, if Besseberg was re-elected at the congress in 2010. – That is not what I associate with if I am re-elected, said Besseberg, who pointed that it was probably about something that could be achieved if you also acquired the TV rights, which Infront has not had for biathlon. Later, Besseberg became the only candidate for the presidential election in the International Biathlon Federation during the congress in 2010. Unknown to Besseberg However, Besseberg was especially shaken by a note from his former general secretary Michael Geistlinger, which was sent to people APF, the company that later became part of Infront. Scmid was one of the leading people in this company. “In order to ensure the participation of as many voting nations as possible at the congress, the IBU needs a budget of approximately 20,000 for travel costs for the representatives from the less funded confederations. The acting treasurer does not dare to grant this without a board resolution. As the measure benefits Besseberg more than the other candidates, Michael Geistlinger fears that the measure will be rejected,” the memo said. Geistlinger asked for help from APF Marketing, which cooperated closely with the IBU. “They agree that the necessary amount will be transferred to the Russian host federation, as a contribution to congress organization costs. Geistlinger coordinates the intended use with Yashin. If the Russian host federation can send the invitations, then it cannot fall back on the IBU, Anders Besseberg or Michael Geistlinger. IBU will, within Geistlinger’s decision-making area, repay the amount in connection with the invoicing of the fleet”. Court signature from Buskerud District Court by Besseberg and his lawyers. Photo: Ane Hem / NTB It was also stated in the note that “Michael Geistlinger thanks APF for his promising, discreet and loyal support in support of Besseberg and Michael Geistlinger” The prosecutor thought the whole thing looked like vote rigging, which APF contributed to, via the Russian host association, which IBU then paid for through settlement of the car fleet. Later, a leasing car, which Besseberg disposed of in the period 2011-2018, became part of the indictment. According to the indictment, Infront paid for this car. Infront has even claimed to news that the car agreement with Besseberg was standard in the industry for sponsorship agreements. Besseberg said the content of what Geistlinger wrote back in 2006 was completely unknown to him. – That it was as bad as this, I had not imagined, said Besseberg, who pointed out that the board did, however, agree that they should end the collaboration with the general secretary Geistlinger in 2008. He said it was due to various reasons that he did not want to elaborate in court.
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Seized emails shed new light on the Besseberg case:
