It’s in the columns from Dauphiné that Julia Simon speaks for the first time this Thursday, August 24 on the case which opposes her to her teammate in the France team Justine Braisaz Bouchet. The latter filed a complaint against the world number 1 for credit card fraud last winter. Facts that Julia Simon does not recognize. “It’s a situation that saddens me, which is beyond me,” she insists. I absolutely do not recognize the facts that can be blamed on me, that’s why I have to give my version of the facts. »
She tells it like this: “There are purchases that were made by credit card (Editor’s note: on the card of Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and another staff member) with my name on it, but today, I am also a victim of this situation. My name was used without my knowledge. Now, the investigation is underway and we will let the investigators do their job to unravel the truth. They are victims, but so am I. I think my identity has been stolen. »
In the columns of Dauphiné, she continues: “For my part, I filed a complaint against X for identity theft. I leave that in the hands of the police. I brought all the elements I had in my possession, some of which were a little inconsistent. It seems obvious, purchases have been made, all three identical, so it seems suspicious to me. Going to file a complaint shows that I am also innocent and that I am trying to find the truth. »
For several weeks, this troubled affair poisoned the life of the France team. “I made a few mistakes, summarizes Julia Simon. Especially one, to manage this situation alone, I did not surround myself. My big mistake is taking it lightly at the start and not understanding the situation. But I was like an ostrich, telling myself that winter was here and that I had to do my sport. I didn’t realize how important this story could be. But I should have taken people right away to surround me, like a lawyer. I finally took it at the end of winter, because initially taking one meant I was guilty. Because I had never been in a situation like this. »
Since the start of the affair, Julia Simon and Justine Braisaz Bouche have just crossed paths, without speaking. “It’s something that will have to be done,” said Simon. I don’t blame him at all. He’s someone I know very well. We grew up together, we come from the same club Les Saisies. We have the same route. But the situation is sad, that’s for sure. I hope this will not affect our respective careers, because I think that both of us are not yet at the end of what we can do. When you see the season she did before her motherhood, and I have a globe to defend. So I hope this story will not alter our careers. I have enormous respect for Justine, first of all the athlete before she was a mother, and the fact that she is coming back to the circuit now that she has a little girl, I have a lot of respect. I don’t feel like we’re at war, at least not on my side. I don’t blame her, I have no grudge against her. »
