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Why Alysa Liu Wasn't Allowed to Keep Olympic Gold Medal After It Broke
Julia Simon is on the road to redemption.
Four months after the French biathlon athlete was found guilty of theft and credit card fraud and handed a three-month suspended prison sentence, Julia won the gold medal in the women's 15-kilometer individual biathlon race at the 2026 Olympics on Feb. 11.
The accomplishment made her the first French woman to win an Olympic gold in that race.
"It feels like a dream right now," the 29-year-old—who completed the 9.3 mile course in 41 minutes and 15 seconds–said after her win, per ESPN. "It's amazing. It's a race I have dreamed of."
"I have a lot of pleasure, when I train, when I race, when I compete, so it's the most important thing for me," she continued. "I know I had a goal. I put all my energy in this goal, in myself. It was [a few] difficult months but I'm really proud of myself and today was a perfect race for me."
Indeed, it was a moment that wasn’t always a guarantee for Julia after she confessed to stealing the credit cards of both her teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and a French team staff member to buy over 2,000 euros ($2,377.02 USD) worth of online purchases, according to ESPN.
During the October trial, Julia apologized for her actions but could not provide a reason for her motives.
"I can't explain it,” she said, per the outlet. “I don't remember doing it. I can't make sense of it.”
Vianney Thibaut/NordicFocus/Getty Images
The Olympic athlete—who had previously won 10 world titles and earned a silver medal for France in the mixed relay at the 2022 Beijing Games—was given a six-month ban, including five months suspended, as of a result of the trial.
She was also mandated to pay a fine of 30,000 euros ($34,600 USD), with 15,000 euros suspended, within six months. The money was expected to go towards training for younger biathletes.
But while the trial’s result put her 2026 Olympic hopes in jeopardy, the French Ski Federation decided to suspend most of Julia’s ban and allow her to compete in the Milano Cortina games, per ESPN.
And she’s certainly made her mark. In addition to winning the women's 15-kilometer individual biathlon race at the 2026 Olympics, Julia also earned a gold medal in the mixed relay with teammates Lou Jeanmonnot, Eric Perrot and Quentin Fillon Maillet on Feb. 8.
Keep reading for more noteworthy moments to come out of this year’s Winter Games…
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Scream and Shout
Japan's Kaori Sakamoto is surprised by her score in the women's singles free skating team event.
JASPER JACOBS/BELGA MAG/Belga/AFP via Getty Images
All the Emotions
Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam wipes tears from her eyes after learning she set an Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter race.
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Big Air
China's Eileen Gu competes in the women's freestyle slopestyle—which earned her a silver medal.
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With Him Always
U.S. skater Maxim Naumov holds a photo of his late parents close after competing in the men's single skating short program.
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Twists and Turns
A composite image shows off the many tricks seen in the women's freestyle slopestyle.
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Pierogi Power
Polish figure skater Ekaterina Kurakova holds up a plushie of a pierogi—widely considered to be Poland's national food—as she celebrates with her teammates during the women's single skating short program.
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No, it's Team Austria's ski jumper Julia Muehlbacher.
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Double Trouble
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria zoom by during the luge women's doubles.
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Say Cheese!
The winners of the figure skating team event snap a selfie with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition while on the podium.
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Never Give Up
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn looks determined as she attends a training session days after rupturing her ACL in a crash.
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Ice to See You
Alysa Liu of United States performs the Biellmann spin during the women's single skating short program event.
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Team Great Britain's Jennifer Dodds has a nail-biting reaction to the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
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Snoop Dogg, serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a practice.
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In Sync
U.S. figure skaters and real-life couple Evan Bates and Madison Chock are a perfect match while performing their rhythm ice dance routine.
Federico Manoni/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On the B-rink of History
Laila Edwards, the first Black woman representing the U.S. in Olympic hockey, faces off against Czech player Sara Cajanova during the United States vs. Czech Republic game.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Friendship Knows No Borders
Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli shares a hug with Team Czechia's Jakub Hrones during the men's snowboard big air qualifiers.
Javier SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images
Photo Finish
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a training session.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Swept Away With Joy
American curler Korey Dropkin lets out a victorious shout after his team defeats Switzerland in a mixed doubles round bobin match.
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