French ice dancer Guillaume Cizeron has etched Olympic history. Four years after winning gold in Beijing with Gabriella Papadakis, the 31-year-old claimed gold again on Wednesday at the Winter Games in Italy, this time with Laurence Fournier Beaudry. Cizeron, who publicly came out as gay in 2020, becomes the first figure skater to win Olympic ice-dance gold with two different partners.
With the native Canadian Fournier Beaudry, who only recently acquired French citizenship, the pair edged past the previously dominant American stars Madison Chock and Evan Bates in Milan—despite a misstep from Cizeron himself and amid controversial judging—to claim the gold medal.
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Ex‑ice-dance partner sparked controversy
However, the newly formed duo is also surrounded by fallout tied to their former ice-dance partners. Last month Papadakis published a book in which she describes a dynamic in her relationship with Cizeron that was far from equal—characterized instead by a pronounced power imbalance. She wrote of a controlling and demanding partner. Cizeron had criticized the timing of the book’s release just before the Winter Games, calling the accusations a “smear campaign.”
Controversial backstory also swirls around Beaudry
Fournier Beaudry’s former ice-dance partner Nikolaj Sørensen—who is reportedly also her current partner—was suspended for six years in 2024 by Canada’s national sports integrity body over allegations of sexual misconduct. Sørensen allegedly sexually abused a U.S. figure skating coach and former skater in 2012. Fournier Beaudry has consistently stressed Sørensen’s innocence.
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In June, the ban was lifted for jurisdictional reasons. Sørensen, born in Denmark, was at that time neither a Canadian citizen nor active for Canada’s team, according to reports. The case remains unresolved.
At this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, a record number of queer athletes are competing, continuing a trend noted by LGBTQ sports outlets. (news coverage)
