OSLO, Norway (AP) — The long-time former biathlon leader accused of protecting Russia from doping cases was found guilty of corruption charges in his native Norway on Friday and sentenced to more than three years in prison.
Anders Besseberg was convicted of accepting bribes in the form of expensive watches, hunting trips and a liaison with a prostitute in Moscow, which allegedly was linked to him acting in favor of Russia during more than 20 years as president of the International Biathlon Union.
Besseberg had hunting trophies, two expensive wristwatches and 1.4 million kroner ($129,235) confiscated by the Hokksund District Court in his native Norway.
The ruling said that “the court has no doubt that he has acted in favor of Russia, both in word and deed.”
The 78-year-old Norwegian, who listened quietly as the verdict was read, said he was “disappointed and surprised” by the ruling and planned to appeal.
Besseberg was indicted last April by Norwegian prosecutors on charges of aggravated corruption relating to alleged bribery dating from 2009.
The total prison sentence was for 3 years, 1 month — six months less than what the prosecutor had demanded.
“The defendant clearly lacks understanding of the position he held and self-awareness, as the court sees it,” judge Vidar Toftøy-Lohne said as he read the 67-page verdict.
Toftøy-Lohne said the court did not take Besseberg's age into consideration when issuing the verdict.
”We strongly disagree with the result and reasoning,” Besseberg's lawyer Mikkel Toft Gimsetold reporters. "The way the court describes it, it seems as if Anders Besseberg has been alone in these decisions.”
Besseberg stepped down in 2018 after a police raid on IBU offices in Austria as part of a multi-nation investigation. The scandal emerged during years of investigations of state-backed doping programs and cover-ups by Russia.
An IBU-commissioned report concluded in 2021 there had been “systematic corrupt and unethical conduct at the very top” of the governing body.
Winter Olympics news: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics and AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
FILE - Anders Besseberg, president of International Biathlon Union, right, listens to IBU Secretary General Nicole Resch before a press conference of the IBU Biathlon World Championships in Pyeongchang, east of Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 13, 2009. The long-time former biathlon leader accused of protecting Russia from doping cases was Friday April 12, 2024 found guilty of corruption and sentenced to three years and one month. Besseberg who had denied charges relating, was convicted of accepting bribes, a liaison with a prostitute in Moscow, and favoring Russia in doping cases during more than 20 years as president of the International Biathlon Union. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
READING, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 2, 2024--
Keyloop, a global automotive technology company, has today announced the completion of the acquisition of ATG, an innovative provider of automotive technology focused on omnichannel retail solutions. This follows the announcement of entering into a definitive agreement on 10 th April 2024.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240502903241/en/
Keyloop completes the acquisition of Automotive Transformation Group (ATG) (Graphic: Business Wire)
The acquisition is a significant step in accelerating the delivery of Keyloop’s Experience-First blueprint across the lifetime of vehicle ownership, supporting automotive retailers and OEMs in their delivery of exceptional customer experiences.
Tom Kilroy, CEO, Keyloop comments: “Together, Keyloop and ATG combine to create an integrated technology portfolio that more completely connects the entire consumer automotive journey, helping retailers and OEMs improve customer experience via innovative solutions.”
Tim Smith, CEO, ATG comments: “The announcement today is a testament to the inspirational and innovative team at ATG and the vision and commitment from Keyloop. I’m delighted to be joining the Executive Team at Keyloop and look forward to bringing our businesses together over the coming weeks for the benefit of all our customers.”
ATG is being advised by Houlihan Lokey and Taylor Wessing. Keyloop is being advised by King & Spalding and Paul Hastings LLP. ATG management were advised by Momentum Corporate Finance.
Editor’s Note:
About Keyloop:
Keyloop delivers cutting-edge solutions, tailored to the modern needs of auto retailers and OEMs alike. From the showroom to the workshop, and everything in between, its technology facilitates distinctive customer experiences between key systems, tools, and departments. With 40 years of automotive DNA, and a deep understanding of what it takes to drive success, Keyloop solutions are delivered in over 90 countries, and trusted by more than 18,000 retailers and 80 OEMs worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.keyloop.com. Download Keyloop’s latest whitepaper Revolutionising automotive retail through technology.
About Automotive Transformation Group (ATG):
As an innovative provider of retailing software to the automotive sector, Automotive Transformation Group (ATG) exists to make car-buying easy. With 20 years of experience, technology deployed across 80 countries, and over 13 billion digital interactions captured to date, they have developed a deep understanding of car-buying behaviour, which allows them to design consumer-first software for Retailers, OEMs, Financiers and Fleet Suppliers across the globe. For more information, please visit: atg.auto.
Tim Smith, CEO, ATG (Photo: Business Wire)
Tom Kilroy, CEO, Keyloop (Photo: Business Wire)
