What's happened
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, controversy surrounds the scoring of ice dance medals, with French judge Jézabel Dabois accused of bias favoring French pair Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron. Scores for American duo Chock and Bates were significantly undervalued, prompting calls for transparency and judge vetting.
What's behind the headline?
The scoring controversy at the 2026 Olympics exposes systemic issues in figure skating judging. Dabois's scoring patterns, which consistently favor French competitors, suggest bias that undermines the sport's integrity. The significant score disparities, especially in the free dance, highlight the need for transparent judging mechanisms. The fact that the International Skating Union (ISU) stood by the scores despite evidence of bias indicates a reluctance to address underlying issues. This controversy risks eroding public trust and could lead to reforms, including judge vetting and increased transparency. The situation underscores the importance of impartiality in judged sports, as biased scoring not only affects medal outcomes but also the sport's credibility worldwide.
What the papers say
The New York Post reports that judge Jézabel Dabois's scoring patterns have been under intense scrutiny, with data showing significant biases favoring the French pair. The outlet highlights her inconsistent scoring in previous competitions, suggesting a pattern of favoritism. Conversely, some defenders within the figure skating community argue that judging variability is normal and that Dabois's scores fall within acceptable ranges, emphasizing the complexity of subjective scoring. The controversy has sparked a broader debate about transparency and fairness, with calls for reform from athletes and fans alike. The International Skating Union has maintained confidence in the scores, but the mounting evidence of bias may pressure the organization to reconsider judging protocols.
How we got here
The controversy began after Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron narrowly won gold over Americans Chock and Bates, with allegations that judge Dabois favored the French pair through skewed scoring. Dabois's scoring patterns in previous competitions have also raised suspicion, fueling ongoing debate about impartiality in judging.
Go deeper
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Evan Bates is an American ice dancer. With his skating partner, Madison Chock, he is a two-time World medalist, a three-time Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a two-time Four Continents champion, and a two time U.S. national champion.
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Guillaume Cizeron is a French ice dancer. With his partner, Gabriella Papadakis, he is the 2018 Olympic silver medalist, a four-time World champion, a five-time consecutive European champion, the 2017 and 2019 Grand Prix Final champion, and a seven-time F
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Madison La'akea Te-Lan Hall Chock is an American ice dancer. With her skating partner, Evan Bates, she is a 2022 Olympic Games team event silver medalist, a two-time World medalist, a three-time Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a two-time Four Continents
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Laurence Fournier Beaudry is a Canadian ice dancer. Competing for Canada with her skating partner, Nikolaj Sørensen, she is a four-time Grand Prix bronze medallist and a four-time Challenger medallist, including gold at the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy.
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Gabriella Maria Papadakis is a French ice dancer. With her partner, Guillaume Cizeron, she is the 2022 Olympic champion, 2018 Olympic silver medalist, a four-time World champion, a five-time consecutive European champion, the 2017 and 2019 Grand Prix Fina
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Paul Poirier is a Canadian ice dancer. With Piper Gilles, he is the 2021 World bronze medalist, as well as a three-time Four Continents medalist, 2019 Skate Canada International champion, and the 2020 Canadian national champion.
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Piper Gilles is an American-Canadian ice dancer who currently represents Canada internationally. With Paul Poirier, she is the 2021 World bronze medalist, as well as a three-time Four Continents medalist, 2019 Skate Canada International champion, and two-
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Nikolaj Sørensen is a Danish-Canadian ice dancer. Competing for Canada with his skating partner, Laurence Fournier Beaudry, he is a four-time Grand Prix bronze medallist and a four-time Challenger medallist, including gold at the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy