December 17, 2006 – Myriam Bedard, Canada’s double-gold winner in biathlon at the 1994 Olympics, has been charged with abducting her 11-year-old daughter, reports the Montreal Gazette. A Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued for Bedard, following complaints from the child’s father, claiming violation of his visiting rights. In October, Bedard went to the Washington, DC area with her daughter and her boyfriend, Nima Mazhari, a Montreal sculptor in October and is believed not to have returned to Canada. Police indicate that they do not consider the daughter to be in danger.

Bedard’s father, Pierre, says that she usually stays in close touch but this has not been the case lately. She has talked to her mother Francine a few times by telephone, but the calls were very brief and then the line went dead. Her family claims that Mazhari has a strange and very strong hold over Myriam. Mazhari is facing charges stemming from the alleged theft of $100,000 worth of paintings in Montreal.

Myriam Bedard has recently complained to authorities, claiming to be “persecuted” in Canada.