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Canadian Olympic Winner Arrested in Custody Case

Olympic gold medallist, Myriam Bedard, has been arrested in the United States after Canadian authorities requested assistance in finding her. Bedard was accused of leaving Canada with her 12-year old daughter even though she does not have full custody of the child. A warrant was issued for her arrest by the Canadian courts on suspicions of abduction. The child?s father is fellow-biathlon athlete, Jean Paquet.

Bedard, the first Canadian to win a biathlon World Cup event, was presented with two gold medals at the Lillehammer (Norway) Olympics in 1994 for her performance in the 7.5 km and 15 km events. After a brief respite from the sports world to give birth to her daughter, Bedard made a come back, although not very successfully. She subsequently retired from biathlon sports and became active in marketing, working briefly for Via Rail.

Bedard, 37, and her husband Nima Mazharia have been embroiled in a number of controversial affairs in Canada where they have continuously made strange and, what is considered untrue, allegations against politicians, public administrators and other sportspeople. Her recent arrest on abduction charges has brought about Bedard?s incarceration in a Maryland jail. Her daughter, meanwhile, remains in protective custody in the United States, awaiting a reunion with her father.