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OSLO, Norway — 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. 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 said he would appeal the ruling. Besseberg stepped down in 2018 after a police raid on IBU offices in Austria as part of a multi-nation investigation.
