French Ice Dance Champions Step Back Onto Olympic Ice As Scoring Controversy And Off-Ice Tensions Swirl
Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron captured ice dance gold on Feb. 11, edging out Team USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates by a margin of just 1.42 points.
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NEED TO KNOW
- French ice dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron appeared in the figure skating exhibition gala, marking their first return to 2026 Olympic ice since the scoring controversy surrounding their gold medal
- The pair, who claimed ice dance gold on Feb. 11, performed to “Metamorphosis” by Mad Rush
- Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron secured gold by a narrow margin over Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron stepped back onto Olympic ice for the final time, returning for the first time since the judging controversy that followed their gold-medal result.
The French duo, ages 33 and 31, skated in the figure skating exhibition gala at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Saturday, Feb. 21, performing to “Metamorphosis” by Mad Rush. Traditionally held at the close of each Olympic Games, the exhibition gala allows medalists to present a more expressive, relaxed routine without scores or rankings.
Their performance, a soft and romantic program, was greeted with noticeably restrained applause from the crowd.
Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron earned ice dance gold on Feb. 11, finishing just ahead of Team USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates by 1.42 points. Debate quickly followed after the pair received a total score of 225.82, despite visible synchronization issues during Cizeron’s twizzles, while Chock and Bates delivered a clean skate but finished second.
@isuskating One last magic performance on Olympic ice from Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron ✨⛸️ It’s SHOWTIME! ✨ #FigureSkating #Olympics #MilanoCortina2026 #ISUShowtime ♬ original sound – Home of Skating
When detailed score sheets were released, commentators pointed to a notable discrepancy from French judge Jezabel Dabouis. She awarded Chock and Bates a 129.74 for their free dance, the lowest mark among the nine judges and more than five points below the average, while giving Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron a 137.45, nearly three points above the panel’s average.
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In the days that followed, Chock and Bates were asked whether they would challenge the results, but U.S. Figure Skating ultimately chose not to pursue an appeal. Speaking afterward, the American pair said they felt they had delivered the best skate possible, while acknowledging feelings of disappointment in an interview with PEOPLE the following day.
“I think there were a lot of emotions flooding through us yesterday. I think there was some disappointment for sure,” Chock said, pausing as she fought back tears. “It’s been a long journey, but I certainly have a lot of pride for what we have accomplished, and who we’ve become on the way to those accomplishments. So in general, [we’re feeling] gratitude.”
Beyond the on-ice controversy, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron also faced scrutiny away from competition before the Games began. Discussion surrounding Fournier Beaudry focused on her relationship with former ice dance partner Nikolaj Sørensen, who was suspended from the sport in 2024 after being accused of a 2012 sexual assault by a former skater and coach. He has denied the allegations, and she has continued to support him publicly.
Cizeron was also drawn into off-ice controversy after his former longtime partner Gabriella Papadakis accused him of being “controlling, demanding and critical” in an interview published last month ahead of her memoir, So as Not to Disappear.
Papadakis wrote that she felt under Cizeron’s “control” and described being “terrified” at the thought of being alone with him. Cizeron has dismissed the claims as a “smear campaign” in a statement to Reuters and said he is pursuing legal action.
