A significant point of contention surrounding the 2026 Winter Games involved the judging results in the figure skating ice dance competition, where the French duo Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron triumphed over the highly anticipated American favorites, Madison Chock and Evan Bates.
This outcome was not well-received within the United States, and Chock and Bates addressed the ongoing dispute during their discussion with USA Today on Thursday. Although they refrained from echoing the stronger sentiments of some of their supporters, they conceded that this incident has cast a shadow on the sport of figure skating’s public image:
“Whenever the audience finds the outcomes perplexing, it negatively impacts our discipline,” Chock stated on Thursday.
“Cultivating spectator loyalty becomes challenging when the events unfolding on the ice are hard to interpret. I believe a greater degree of transparency is essential for athletes, mentors, and viewers alike, to foster a robust following for the future. Individuals must grasp the specifics of what they are applauding and maintain trust in the athletic endeavor they champion.”
The core of the problem lies with a judging framework where most officials scored higher for the American competitors, yet the French pair ultimately secured the victory.
An examination of the separate judges’ marks for the free dance reveals that the French official’s scores are notable, providing their countrymen with their second-highest mark and assigning Chock and Bates their lowest, creating a discrepancy of almost eight points. In contrast, the judge from the United States awarded Chock and Bates approximately four points more favorably.
Beaudry and Cizeron’s victory margin was roughly one and a half points, even though they experienced several errors during their free dance performance, which many thought should have deducted sufficient points to place them in the silver medal position. This sort of outcome often leads to detailed, slow-motion analyses circulating on platforms like Reddit.
Further intensifying the situation is the existing reputation of Beaudry and Cizeron as a contentious duo.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates finished a point and a half short of a gold medal. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
(Joe Scarnici via Getty Images)
A digital petition demanding an inquiry has been circulated among supporters of Chock and Bates, which Bates recognized the existence of without offering his direct approval:
“We haven’t personally viewed it; we’ve only been informed of its presence, but it signifies a great deal that individuals are expressing their perspectives to advocate for us,” Bates commented. “I believe our performance on the ice and our method of pursuing these aspirations has, we hope, connected with audiences domestically, and similarly, we trust that our reaction also embodies the essence of the Olympic ideal.”
The International Skating Union has also addressed the ongoing discussion, with a representative providing a formal statement to NBC News:
“It is customary for varying marks to be assigned by diverse officials within any judging committee, and several systems are employed to lessen these disparities. The ISU fully trusts the awarded marks and maintains an unwavering dedication to impartiality.”
Collectively, Chock and Bates have secured the past three world championships in ice dance and possess two Olympic gold medals, acquired through the U.S.’s victories in the team competition during both 2022 and 2026. Their partnership on the ice began in 2011, and they became spouses in 2024.
They chose not to disclose to USA Today whether they would pursue a consecutive fourth world title in March, but confirmed their intentions to “continue performing” at this time.
