The outcome of the nearly 70-page judgment was read out in Buskerud district court in Hokksund on Friday. Besseberg was convicted on nine out of ten points in Økokrim’s indictment. The sentence is six months less than the prosecution’s claim.
– The defendant has shown a lack of role understanding and self-awareness, judge Vidar Toftøy-Lohne stated.
The prosecution’s sentence was three years and seven months’ unconditional imprisonment and a fine of NOK one million. However, the court held that there was no basis for a fine.
Besseberg was also sentenced to confiscation of NOK 1.4 million, but waived court costs.
– I am of course disappointed and surprised by the verdict. I am appealing the verdict on the spot, Anders Besseberg said after he had answered “yes” to the question of whether he had understood the verdict.
Throughout, judge Vidar Toftøy-Lohne determined that Besseberg received benefits that were improper (reprehensible) when he was the chief executive of the International Biathlon Union (IBU).
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The 78-year-old was only acquitted of an exchange of watches and a single offer about prostitutes.
The charges against Besseberg covered the years 2009 to 2018 and were about bribes in the form of three luxury watches, exclusive hunting trips, being with prostitutes and a leasing car.
– Obvious link
Toftøy-Lohne said early in the reading that the court has not found everything in the indictment sufficiently proven, but “most of it”. Then came the details, and they were not in Besseberg’s favour.
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The court considered two of the watch gifts from Russian donors to be undue benefits.
– The connection to the position is obvious. All in all, both subjective and objective conditions for punishment are met, said the judge.
The verdict reached the same conclusion when intercourse with prostitutes was brought up. Besseberg was convicted on the basis of an interview he gave to the Austrian police, in which he admitted to having made use of sexual services.
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He later retracted his explanation and has since denied having been with prostitutes.
– This is not a detail you talk yourself into without it having happened, said the judge and emphasized that Besseberg made himself vulnerable to influence and blackmail.
Role mixing
Besseberg was also not believed that his many pretended hunting trips were private. The court believed they were obviously linked to the position he held in the biathlon sport and accused him of “deliberate mixing of roles”.
Several of the trips were paid for by Infront. The rights company also had marketing agreements with the IBU and was an important partner for the association.
In the end, Besseberg was also found guilty of corruption by driving a free lease car. The costs were covered by Infront.
Besseberg has always denied having done anything criminal.
– Although I received expensive gifts and was invited hunting by many, I must emphasize that I have never allowed myself to be corrupted, he said in court in February.