French cyclist arrested in Russia for violating border

An unusual incident occurred in Russia: French tourist and cyclist Sofiane Sehili was detained in Vladivostok on charges of illegally crossing the border. This was reported by the authoritative French newspaper Le Monde.

According to the information, the athlete embarked on a bicycle journey across Eurasia with the goal of setting a new world record. His route began in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, and was supposed to end in Vladivostok. However, the travel plan encountered an unexpected obstacle: on September 2, at the China–Russia border, customs officers stopped him and accused him of breaking the law.

The report notes that Sehili attempted not once but twice to enter Russian territory. Each time, he tried to cross the border at different points, about 200 kilometers apart. However, both attempts ended unsuccessfully.

Sofiane Sehili was born in 1981. He initially worked as a documentary filmmaker but later abandoned directing and chose the path of sports. At the age of 44, he began embarking on long-distance cycling trips to test himself. Since then, he has participated in about 20 major competitions and won 11 of them.

Experts emphasize that Sehili’s journey was aimed not only at achieving a personal record but also at promoting sports tourism across Eurasia. However, the incident in Russia has seriously disrupted his plans.

At present, an official investigation is underway regarding the French athlete. His fate and the continuation of his journey remain uncertain for now.