Allegations have surfaced against a French judge at the Winter Olympics for allegedly manipulating the figure skating results to ensure a gold medal for France. The French pair, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, clinched the gold medal with a total score of 225.82, edging out Team USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates by a mere 1.43 points.
The controversy arose when the scores from French judge Jezabel Dabouis were revealed online. Chock and Bates, who had previously won three consecutive world championships in ice dance, were the anticipated favorites in Milan.
Following the rhythm dance segment on Monday, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron were placed first, leaving the Americans in second position. While five judges ranked the French pair the highest, only three judges placed Chock and Bates at the top, highlighting disparities among the judging panel.
Notably, five out of six judges who favored Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron’s routine still had Chock and Bates within a 3.5-point range. However, Dabouis awarded her compatriots a substantial 5.74-point lead over the American duo.
During the free dance on Wednesday, five out of nine judges scored Chock and Bates the highest. Interestingly, Dabouis rated Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron’s performance a significant 7.71 points above the Americans.
None of the judges who ranked Chock and Bates first in the free dance awarded them more than a 4.1-point advantage over the eventual winners. The International Skating Union responded to the backlash by affirming its confidence in the judging process and commitment to fairness.
Following the event, the American skaters spoke to NBC News, expressing their emotions and pride in their performances despite the controversy. Bates reflected on the subjective nature of the sport and the unpredictability of outcomes.
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