Martin Fourcade, 32, ended his phenomenal career after last season - after 18 championship golds and seven World Cup titles.

But he is not one of the sport's greatest simply because of his results - Fourcade was also a strong voice against doping and corruption.

In 2016, for example, he threatened a boycott if the International Biathlon Federation (IBU) did not act forcefully against Russian skiers suspected of doping.

And the following year, he left the podium in protest at the World Cup, when the Russian team had taken bronze in the mixed relay.

Fourcade is of course updated with the latest in the big biathlon scandal surrounding Anders Besseberg, former chairman of IBU.

According to an investigation carried out by the IBU's independent review commission ERC, the Norwegian has received exclusive watches, hunting trips and prostitutes as bribes to hide Russian doping.

"Proud"

What do you say about what has come out?

- I'm not shocked, but I'm surprised at how serious the crimes were.

But it also makes me proud of my work against doping.

It shows that I was not crazy.

If I screamed loudly a few times during my career, I had good reasons to do so, says Martin Fourcade.

He appears in the mixed zone after the men's distance race - the competition where he won World Cup gold in Antholz last year.

He is in Pokljuka partly for sponsorship assignments, partly for a meeting with the active committee where he is still with.

Safer now

He thinks that the IBU and the activists have done a good job over the past two years.

- I am also proud that all this commitment contributed to us being where we are today, where I can watch biathlon and feel much safer than I did as an active person.

But it's a shared feeling.

I am shocked, but also proud and I hope that the ERC report is the final point in all this.

Fourcade quit, among other things, to be able to spend more time with their children.

- I have more freedom now, but I do not regret anything from my career.

I am lucky to be able to quit at a good time and spend more time with my daughters, he says.

ARCHIVE: This has happened in the biathlon scandal - Besseberg accused of bribery

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This has happened in the biathlon scandal - Besseberg accused of bribery Photo: Bildbyrån