MILAN – As Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron prepare to compete in the free dance portion of the Olympic ice dance competition on Wednesday, they carry a narrow lead into the final stage, but also the weight of serious allegations surrounding their partnership. The French duo posted a score of 90.18 in Monday’s rhythm dance, edging out Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates (89.72) and Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, who trail with a score of roughly 86.18, according to preliminary results.
The success of Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron, a relatively new pairing, is shadowed by accusations of sexual assault and emotional abuse leveled against individuals connected to both skaters. Fournier Beaudry’s previous partner, Nikolaj Sørensen, is facing allegations of rape stemming from an incident in 2012. A former American figure skater filed a report with Canada’s Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) alleging Sørensen held her down and raped her after a party. The report, obtained by USA Today, detailed a harrowing account of the alleged assault.
OSIC initially banned Sørensen for six years in October 2024, but that ban was overturned on jurisdictional grounds and is currently under appeal. Sørensen has consistently denied the allegations. Fournier Beaudry has publicly defended Sørensen, stating in a recent Netflix documentary, “I grasp my boyfriend 100 percent. I know him and we stand strong together.” She also expressed concern that Sørensen’s suspension would end her own career.
The partnership between Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron was formed in March 2025, shortly after Cizeron’s longtime skating partner, Gabriella Papadakis, retired. The duo, training at the Ice Academy of Montreal, quickly gained momentum, despite Fournier Beaudry needing to obtain French citizenship to compete with Cizeron. Their rapid ascent has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding their pairing and the speed with which Fournier Beaudry was granted citizenship.
Further complicating the situation, Papadakis recently published a memoir, Pour ne pas disparaître (So as Not to Disappear), in which she details a difficult and controlling partnership with Cizeron. According to reports from French news outlets like AFP and Le Monde, Papadakis alleges she experienced mistreatment and a dangerous environment for her physical and mental health during her time skating with Cizeron. She described a system within ice dance that allowed for unacceptable behavior.
Cizeron has dismissed Papadakis’s account as a “smear campaign” and threatened legal action. Papadakis was subsequently removed from her planned role as a commentator for NBC’s Olympic coverage, with NBC citing a “clear conflict of interest.” Papadakis responded on social media, stating, “It’s however incredibly difficult to make sport safer when survivors’ voices are still being silenced. I had to end my competitive career given that I could no longer tolerate abuse. And now, as a result of speaking up about it I’ve lost my job.”
The controversy surrounding Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron is not isolated. The world of figure skating has seen increasing scrutiny regarding athlete safety and well-being. Former skaters like Yulia Lipnitskaya and Gracie Gold have spoken publicly about their struggles with eating disorders and mental health issues exacerbated by the pressures of the sport. Gold detailed a sexual assault by a fellow skater in her memoir, Outofshapeworthlessloser, and multiple lawsuits allege failures by federations and coaches to protect athletes from abuse.
When asked about her comments defending Sørensen and the potential chilling effect on other survivors, Fournier Beaudry offered a terse response to USA Today reporter Christine Brennan on Friday. “We said everything we needed to say about that subject, and we are focused on the Olympics,” she stated. When pressed further about the alleged victim’s statement, Fournier Beaudry responded, “We have no thoughts.”
Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron are scheduled to skate in the free dance on Wednesday, February 11, with the gold medal within reach.
