Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France during training at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, February 5. REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw
MILAN, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Ice dance duo Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron arrived at the Milano Cortina Olympics as one of the sport's most compelling new partnerships and gold‑medal favourites, all while standing at the centre of a storm of controversy.
The French twosome have faced a swirl of scrutiny around the circumstances of their partnership after allegations made by Cizeron's former partner Gabriella Papadakis plus the suspension of Fournier Beaudry's former partner Nikolaj Sorensen.
In the Netflix documentary series "Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing" released on Sunday, retired American skater Adam Rippon said there was a "sinister energy" surrounding the two.
Asked on Thursday about being cast as a villain, Cizeron kept the focus firmly on the ice.
"We've been very focused on having a lot of fun on the ice and bringing as much gratefulness as we can to our skating," he told reporters at the Milano Olympic Village.
"We love skating, and we love skating together, and this is what we're focusing on."
Cizeron -- the reigning Olympic champion with Papadakis -- and Fournier Beaudry, a Canadian who received French citizenship in November, teamed up last March in a move that sent ripples through the figure skating world.
They experienced instant success, winning both of their Grand Prix assignments and last month's European Championships.
They shouldchallenge Madison Chock and Evan Bates for gold after finishing six points behind the Americans in second at the Grand Prix Final, despite Fournier Beaudry crashing hard in the free dance after catching her blade on her dress.
"We started a new chapter a year ago," Cizeron said. "Neither of us would have thought we'd be here today, so everything is like a bonus for us.
"Every time we step on the ice, we feel very grateful and happy to be able to do this together. It's just bonus time doing a sport that we love."
PAPADAKIS MEMOIR MAKES HEADLINES
The noise around them has increased, however, following the January 15 release of Papadakis's memoir "So as Not to Disappear", in which she labels Cizeron "controlling" and "demanding."
Cizeron called it a "smear campaign" and added that his lawyers had been instructed to demand an immediate halt to what he called defamatory claims.
Asked about the book on Thursday, Cizeron said "I've said everything that I needed to say on that subject."
Papadakis has not responded to a Reuters request for comment.
In 2024, Fournier Beaudry's partner Sorensen was suspended for six years by Canada's Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner for sexual maltreatment.
Sorensen was investigated over an alleged sexual assault of an American figure skating coach and former skater in 2012.
The suspension has since been overturned by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada on jurisdictional grounds.
A tearful Fournier Beaudry, who has dated Sorensen for the past 12 years, opened up about being caught up in the fallout in the "Glitter & Gold" documentary.
"I never really publicly discuss about how much damage it's created," she said. "Just felt like collateral damage.
"When they decided to suspend him, it meant that his career was over, which also meant that my career was over," she added.
The three-part Netflix series, which also follows Chock and Bates and Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier over the past year, thrust new attention onto the French team's partnership.
But Cizeron said he appreciated that viewers got a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation, tension and daily reality behind their competitive veneer.
"It's true that we're a little bit in our own little world," he said. "But the important thing for us with this project was to help the public understand a little better what ice dancing is and why we love it so much.
"People see a lot of what we do in competition, which is normal, and we wanted to show the preparation, the stakes, a little bit of the life we lead behind the scenes.
"I think it's quite successful — at least I hope so. We haven't seen it yet; we'll only watch it after the Games. But from what I've heard, people enjoyed it. I think people appreciate having a window."
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
