Refusal to hear appeal to the Supreme Court: judgment against former biathlon president now final and enforceable

The Supreme Court's decision renders Borgarting Court of Appeal's judgment from September this year, convicting him of aggravated corruption and imposing a 3-year prison sentence, final and enforceable. 

 

- We assume that the judgement will send a message beyond Norway's borders. The case will hopefully raise awareness of the risk of corruption in sport. International top-level sport generates substantial revenues, and decisions of great importance to athletes, host nations and businesses tend to be made by international federations with limited transparency and accountability. That may increase the risk of corruption, says Økokrim Senior Public Prosecutor Marianne Djupesland, who prosecuted the case in court.

 

Økokrim indicted the Norwegian, who was president of the IBU from 1993 to 2018, in 2023. He was indicted for offences committed between 2009 and 2018, specifically taking bribes in the form of watches, hunting trips and trophies, prostitutes and a leased car he had at his disposal in Norway from 2011 to 2018.

 

The Court of Appeal found that: 

"Besseberg has received considerable financial advantages which clearly exceed NOK 1,000,000, that several of the individual acts seriously harmed the IBU's reputation, or might do so, and that the act of corruption went on for many years and consisted of a long series of individual acts. In addition, the Court of Appeal had special regard to the fact that Besseberg's act was a clear breach of the trust his office as president of an international sports federation involved."

 

- The investigation and prosecution of this case have been demanding, as the evidence and parties involved are located in many different countries. The case shows that such offences can nevertheless be uncovered and prosecuted. We wish to commend Austrian authorities, who launched the criminal investigation and took key investigative measures at the initial stage. Økokrim received assistance from several other countries as well, and I wish to emphasise the importance of the international cooperation, says Djupesland.

 

The man is now faced with a 3-year prison term. Just over NOK 1 million, two watches and belongings acquired through hunts will be confiscated. 

 

Contact:
+47 23 29 10 30 (08:00–15:45)
kommunikasjon.okokrim@politiet.no