As of: April 9, 2024, 7:15 a.m
By: Sascha Mehr
Comments
Press
Split
Former Italian ski racer Alex Mair has been arrested in Bratislava, Slovakia. He is accused of serious fraud.
Bratislava – Alex Mair was considered an Italian skiing hope many years ago. In 1989 he won silver in the Super-G at the Junior World Championships. In the same discipline he came 14th at the Elite World Championships in 1991, but the now 53-year-old never made his breakthrough in the World Cup. Now the Italian caused a stir away from the ski slopes because he was arrested in the Slovakian capital Bratislava, as the Guardia di Finanza confirmed to the TV channel
Rai Südtirol
.
Ex-ski racer is arrested
The former ski ace is said to be the leader of an international fraud network that diverted more than 600 million euros from the EU Corona recovery fund between 2021 and 2023. As a result, the Italian justice system arrested 22 people. Mair's Ukrainian partner Zhanna Zozulya was also arrested. Police also seized the couple's villas and luxury cars. This may be one of the largest fraud cases involving funds from the European reconstruction fund, as
Rai Südtirol
reports.
It is not the first time that the former ski racer has had conflicts with the law. The Italian was arrested for alleged drug trafficking in 2007. Two years later, he was charged with luxury car fraud. After confessing, the former athlete spent 23 months behind bars.
Alex Mair has been arrested. © WEREK press photo agency via www.imago-images.de
The next court dates were scheduled for fall 2022. The former ski talent is again said to have been involved in a fraud involving luxury cars. He was acquitted in one trial, but another is still pending.
Former ski ace is in custody
The 53-year-old apparently learned nothing from his crimes and his stay in prison. He and his wife are currently in custody in Bratislava. It is not yet known what will happen next for the couple and what punishments they will face.
My news
Olympic ski champion ends his career – and just a few days later he is in seventh heaven
The decision was made in the hospital: dream ski couple after engagement in seventh heaven
“I no longer feel joy”: Ski ace ends his reading career at the age of 26
Despite significant progress: German biathlon coach has to go read
The next ski ace (27) from Austria announces his retirement - and takes an unusual direction
Baby happiness for ski star: Wife reveals secret about offspring's name
What is certain is that it is a low point in the life of Alex Mair, who was once considered Italy's new skiing hope. After his successes in the junior division, he was unable to repeat his achievements in the adult division and ended his career in 1996 - at just 25 years old. His best result in a World Cup race was 58th place in the Kitzbühel downhill, which he achieved in 1995. (
smr
)