Russian President defends Peseberg in an interview with NRK – NRK Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule

– I answered all these questions in an interview with Taylor and I see no point in returning to them. For any reason?

So said the head of the Russian biathlete Viktor Magurov to the NRK channel, after he was asked several questions about the Pieseberg case.

Magurov is the leader of Russian biathlon, and is essentially in debt against Anders Pieseberg. Jonathan Taylor was the man who led the work on the investigation report prepared on behalf of the International Biathlon Union. The report was clear that Beseberg did what he could to defend Russia.

Beseberg's trial begins in Buskerud District Court on January 9.

In this case, the former president of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) is accused of gross corruption, but does not admit criminal guilt after being indicted.

Among other things, he credits the prosecution with accepting bribes in the form of Russian prostitutes, exclusive gifts of watches, and arranged fishing trips.

He refuses to defend

Magorov does not want to answer questions about prostitutes, gifts of watches or fishing trips. But one thing is clear:

– Pieseberg did not defend the interests of the Russian Biathlon Union, Magurov writes in an email to NRK and claims:

– There was a World Cup race once a year. Twice in 25 years it was the toilet. There were no more than Germany, Austria, Italy, Norway and Sweden. We obtained all these arrangements by voting at IBU conferences,” Magorov wrote.

Biathlon became “big business” in the 2000s. Russia was among the major countries. World Cup and World Cup events mean big revenues.

For several years, Magurov was also vice-president of Piesberg of the International Biathlon Union.

The Russian points out that the level of implementation of the event was at the highest level.

– As has been said many times by athletes, coaches and team managers, Magorov writes.

He rejects influence

The last World Cup race organized by Russia was in 2018. The races in Tyumen were hotly contested. Among other things, in a letter to Bseberg in 2016, Norwegian biathlon leaders wanted Russia to withdraw from all races.

The background was the widespread Russian doping fraud during the Sochi Olympics. It was recently revealed in the investigation report.

In the 2000s, Alexander Tikhonov was the most influential Russian biathlete. Today, Tikhonov denies that there were attempts during his reign to influence Bseberg from the Russian side.

– I was president of the Russian Federation and did not allow this, Tikhonov tells NRK.

Magorov himself was mentioned 15 times in an investigative report on the Bseberg case. It was prepared by an independent committee commissioned by the International Broadcasting Union. This work was led by British jurist Jonathan Taylor.

This report stated that Beseberg protected and defended Russian interests. But that's what Magoroff is all about.

When NRK contacted the Russian by phone, he promised that he would look into our questions via email. But he only answered the question of whether Pieseberg was defending Russian interests.

The court will rule this winter on whether Peseberg received benefits in violation of Norwegian corruption laws while he was the supreme leader of biathlon. This means that what must be proven is that he accepted good things that he understood that he should not accept.

At the same time, the indictment notes that “by virtue of his role in the AIBA, he had the opportunity to influence important decisions of Russian biathlon.”

The court case will be the first time Pieseberg has concretely explained the points in the indictment.

– It is the only real opportunity he has to take revenge, instead of trying to respond to all the rumours, views and opinions that are transmitted to him through the press, said Pieseberg's lawyer Christian B. She migrated to NRK in December.