French Ice Dance Wins Spark Debate Over Abuse and Fairness

The recent Paris Olympics have stirred strong reactions in the figure‑skating world. A French ice‑dance pair, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, lifted two gold medals while also celebrating the return of a skater who has faced serious sexual‑abuse allegations. Their teammate, Nikolaj Sorensen, was banned in 2012 but his suspension was overturned last year. He is now under review again, yet he appeared in the crowd and received a cheerful whistle from the podium. Cizeron has earned his second Olympic gold, but he is not without controversy. A former partner described him as controlling and demanding, saying she would only train with a coach present. She later revealed in a podcast that their partnership was harmful and dangerous, noting how such dynamics can become perilous.In the team event, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron narrowly beat the U. S. duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates, scoring 225. 82 to 224. 39. The Americans had been dominant in previous competitions and had won a silver medal at the 2022 Beijing Games. They were also leaders during the chaotic doping scandal involving Russian skater Kamila Valieva, showing calm and resilience. The U. S. pair’s performance was remarkable given their ages—Bates is almost 37 and Chock 33—and the fact that they had performed four programs in six days. Their effort helped teammates like Ilia Malinin secure gold at the team competition, but it fell short of their personal Olympic dream. The outcome has left many questioning how sports bodies handle abuse allegations and whether success should outweigh safety concerns. The French team’s triumph, coupled with the controversy surrounding their support for Sorensen, has prompted a broader conversation about protecting athletes and maintaining integrity in competition.