Repercussions of Papadakis' book & Cizeron's response

[peibeck]

????

The reason for Tanith divorcing Charlie.

 

[Rukia]

people are truly learning things in this thread

 

[my little pony]

"this year is really about, like, the year of just realizing stuff"

 

[TAHbKA]

Continued, vocal support of, even.

There's also the point that when Gabi started skating in shows with Madi Hubbell some interviewers were straight up asking her if she'd asked Guillaume for permission to skate with somebody else - after their partnership had been formally dissolved - while I don't recall seeing any commentator ask the same question of him when he started skating with Laurence.

So again, how is THAT Cizeron's fault?

 

[TAHbKA]

I don't know which pisses me more - when everything that ever happened to Papadakis is Cizeron's fault or when Cipres sent his pics it was somehow James' fault.

 

[Coco]

Reading comprehension on the internet never fails to disappoint.

 

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

I just understand more and more than once skaters finish their careers, one should just move on. Didn't know Charlie was divorcing Tanith. That's the only interesting piece of information from this thread, really.

Didn't read the book, nor intend to. Gabi was my favourite half of the couple, because while she wasn't as technically amazing as Guillaume, she had the charisma that made this team special. I'm also very indifferent about the new pair, probably for exactly the same reason.

That said, adults should be able to make the decisions for themselves, and if they do - it's their responsibility. Nothing from what I came across indicates anything unfair or wrong that was done by either Cizeron or the coaches, it seems they gave her all the possibilities to decide what is best for her. Maybe she needed more, but it's not their job to give more. On some point a person should be able to take a larger responsibility of her life.

Also, she has the full right to write whatever she wants at any timing, revengeful or not. And Cizeron has the full right to snap back, even if it's not the smartest thing to do - he's also an adult who makes his own decisions. What pisses me off more in this whole situation, is that people who are neither of the two take either side way too far. Chill.

I'm deeply sad the best ice dance couple I have ever witnessed, whom I followed from since they were children, had such an ugly finish. That's all.

 

[deegee]

what pisses me off is that gabriella got raped. twice.

and that solene got raped. and gracie. and ashley. and that girls were victimized by the french pairs guy and that zimmerman and others at that rink knew and did nothing/tried to hide it/ignored it. and that i.am. had 2 rapists under their roof.

and maybe gui and the coaches and other staff there didn't have to do any more for gabi than they did, but we can all be disappointed and even angry that just out of sheer humanity they didn't do more. like, yeah, guillaume refusing to continue skating with her if she reported the assaults against her is utterly inhumane.

and while we can all agree that there is a system of abuse at play both within the culture of skating and obviously beyond, those system aren't like laws of physics that we have no control over and are just hapless humans doing our best to navigate them. these systems of abuse are established & perpetrated/supported by people. and the choices they make.

like the choice to skate with the real-life partner of a known rapist knowing that your former partner and at least one other former training mate are survivors.

those are choices that contribute to systems of abuse and i'm pretty pissed about that.

 

[pat c]

I have not read the book, only what’s been posted here and a few other links. It seems to me like Gabrielle is trying to expose the system, and her partnership is an example of that system. A system we are all well aware of, by the way.

I haven't either and I probably won't. And yes fans know of the many flaws of the skating system. I'll say it once - the story wasn't about him, it was hers.

I've been thinking this too, it isn't like he would have the inclination (or the time with other really important things to do right now) to read it to really actually know.

Twice - it wasn't about him and if he read her book he'd know.

There is no good outcome to this snafu. I honestly think that male ice dancers are so entitled they have no idea what goes on around them if it isn't in their best interest. And that's the system. Female ice dancers seem to be expendable (which is true),
and if they have more talent than their partners it is never shown the light of day, there are exceptions but they are rare. Gabby has succeeded to her detriment. The abuse, lack of support for girls in fs, and the worst is that something they love to do becomes something that generates fear. Truly a sad situation.

 

[peibeck]

Wrong thread

 

[kosjenka]

The comments and complaints about the publishing date. It's really annoying because she wrote the book; she got the agent and of course what makes most sense is to publish it now when there is at least some sort of real attention to this sport.
Regardless if Guillaume returned or not, it was the best time to go out with a book and it doesn't matter what anybody, including Guillaume, feels about it. This was the best decision for a figure skating memoir to come out of a retired athlete and I hope she makes money from it.

 

[MacMadame]

To be fair, it's actually Laurence with whom Cizeron has had a close friendship, IIRC, going back to before she ever met Sorenson.
I do still find it cringe considering his knowledge of Papadakis' being a rape survivor, but there ya go...

I see two ways to look at it. His friend's (Laurence) skating career is over due to something she didn't do. He wanted to continue his career, but his partner didn't. If he teams up with Fournier-Beaudry, he can skate again, maybe even win another Olympic medal because she's really good.

The other way to think about it is that he picked a new partner whose boyfriend is credibly accused of rape, whom his former partner refused to share the ice with due to that, vocally supported said accused rapist, and included him as a visible part of their team. All of which are facts. But many see those facts as a big FU to his former partner and some think he shouldn't have done it.

My own opinion is that Cizeron, Fournier-Beaudry and 'that man' all looked at it the first way. Oh, what a great idea, they said. Laurence and Guillaume can continue their skating careers and Nik can still be part of skating by being on the team as an unofficial coach/support person!

But the fact that Cizeron has publicly supported Sørensen and that he's on the team makes it a big FU to Gabby and the fact that Sørensen's reaction to the whole thing wasn't something along the lines of "I thought it was consensual and am very sorry that she didn't see it that way and it harmed her emotionally." But "that b is trying to ruin my career with this utterly false accusation" makes me give a ton of side-eye to him and anyone who supports him. I wouldn't want to be on the same ice as him either and think he's a POS.

And while I don't think they shouldn't have formed this team just because it is a big FU to Gabby, I think they shouldn't have included Sørensen as part of their team and that publicly supporting him with his attitude and response to the accusations is gross and they could have been more sensitive to Gabby with the formation such as reaching out to her before the public announcement so she had time to gather her feelings.

And this is why I don't support this team, regardless of how good* their skating is.

So again, how is THAT Cizeron's fault?

No one said it was. It's not even a complaint that she has made publicly (unless it's in her book that most of us haven't even read).

*I actually find them boring just as I found P/C boring and find P/H boring. Skating is about more than having great skating skills.

 

[pat c]

I see two ways to look at it. His friend's (Laurence) skating career is over due to something she didn't do. He wanted to continue his career, but his partner didn't. If he teams up with Fournier-Beaudry, he can skate again, maybe even win another Olympic medal because she's really good.

The other way to think about it is that he picked a new partner whose boyfriend is credibly accused of rape, whom his former partner refused to share the ice with due to that, vocally supported said accused rapist, and included him as a visible part of their team. All of which are facts. But many see those facts as a big FU to his former partner and some think he shouldn't have done it.

My own opinion is that Cizeron, Fournier-Beaudry and 'that man' all looked at it the first way. Oh, what a great idea, they said. Laurence and Guillaume can continue their skating careers and Nik can still be part of skating by being on the team as an unofficial coach/support person!

But the fact that Cizeron has publicly supported Sørensen and that he's on the team makes it a big FU to Gabby and the fact that Sørensen's reaction to the whole thing wasn't something along the lines of "I thought it was consensual and am very sorry that she didn't see it that way and it harmed her emotionally." But "that b is trying to ruin my career with this utterly false accusation" makes me give a ton of side-eye to him and anyone who supports him. I wouldn't want to be on the same ice as him either and think he's a POS.

And while I don't think they shouldn't have formed this team just because it is a big FU to Gabby, I think they shouldn't have included Sørensen as part of their team and that publicly supporting him with his attitude and response to the accusations is gross and they could have been more sensitive to Gabby with the formation such as reaching out to her before the public announcement so she had time to gather her feelings.

And this is why I don't support this team, regardless of how good* their skating is.


No one said it was. It's not even a complaint that she has made publicly (unless it's in her book that most of us haven't even read).

*I actually find them boring just as I found P/C boring and find P/H boring. Skating is about more than having great skating skills.

Yes this. Didn't f/b see this? Did she want a chance at a more successful career than she had at all costs? Does she not have an ounce of compassion to how this looked? Did she think 2 self involved men had her best interests at heart here? I am just gobsmacked that there wasn't one person that said this isn't really a good thing. Get rid of Sorenson, distance yourself from MTL and maybe say something complimentary about your former partner. Be a human. Be an inspiration not a cautionary tale.

 

[Lara111]

Yes, it was his decision. It's such a shame a talent like Cizeron had absolutely zero other female ice dancers on the planet to chose from and was stuck choosing his predator friend's girlfriend as a partner. I mean, tossing that in your twice raped ex-partner's face certainly doesn't come off as passive aggressive at all, does it?

I am sure it was not all about her (Papadakis) eaither.

 

[overedge]

Giving someone a choice isn't always being supportive of them. Gabi was faced with two terrible alternatives in a situation where either choice was going to turn out badly. IMO saying "it's up to you" isn't supportive when many other people's reputations, and possibly careers, depended on her "choice".

 

[peibeck]

I am sure it was not all about her (Papadakis) eaither.

That much is obvious.

 

[BittyBug]

*I actually find them boring just as I found P/C boring and find P/H boring. Skating is about more than having great skating skills.

P/H?

 

[MacMadame]

P/H?

Madison Hubbell.

 

[Sylvia]

NYT article published on Jan. 14 & updated Jan. 16, 2026:

Olympic ice dancing champion Gabriella Papadakis dropped from NBC after ‘smear campaign’ accusation

Papadakis, 30, danced with Guillaume Cizeron, 31, from childhood until December 2024.

www.nytimes.com

NBC said in a statement to The Athletic that their “responsibility to deliver coverage that our audience can trust to be free of bias” and “that is no longer possible given the circumstances”. [...]
NBC’s full statement read: “We respect Gabriella’s right to tell the story of her life and career. At the same time, her new book creates a clear conflict of interest. Our responsibility is to deliver coverage that our audience can trust to be free of bias — whether actual or perceived — and we regret that is no longer possible given the circumstances.”
The Athletic has contacted Papadakis for further comment.

 

[just tuned in]

^ I agree with NBC’s decision. Book or no book, she was clearly biased against FB/C’s programs. Her on-air favoritism of their opponents made me uncomfortable, and forced Johnny into the role of moral center. No doubt this position was uncomfortable for him, as well.

 

[overedge]

Maybe she thought the other teams were better.
Expressing a preference for one competitor over another isn't bias, it's an opinion.

 

[MsZem]

Maybe she thought the other teams were better.
Expressing a preference for one competitor over another isn't bias, it's an opinion.

The circumstances can certainly create an appearance of bias, which is what NBC presumably cares about.

 

[Rukia]

i for one am shocked she complimented the top us team and fully supported the fact that they could win olympic gold while commentating us nationals

 

[overedge]

The circumstances can certainly create an appearance of bias, which is what NBC presumably cares about.

Both Johnny and Tara regularly express preferences for certain skaters, across multiple competitions. Why isn't that bias?

From what I heard of the broadcasts, Gabi was explaining technical issues and giving her opinions on why teams were scored the way they were.

At US nationals Johnny also shared unsubstantiated rumors about Jason Brown's reputation in the skating world. IMO that's a much bigger demonstration of bias than anything Gabi said on air.

 

[Allskate]

The entire NBC commentary team is biased towards particular skaters and Americans in general, especially at Nationals and the Olympics. IMO, more than their own personal biases, NBC wants to promote skaters that they think will get ratings. I think that they probably would have wanted Gabi to gush more about C&B.

The issue is the perception of bias - and NBC was careful to mention perceptions - as well as the risk that any controversy could detract from the bigger stories.

 

[just tuned in]

Maybe she thought the other teams were better.
Expressing a preference for one competitor over another isn't bias, it's an opinion.

i for one am shocked she complimented the top us team and fully supported the fact that they could win olympic gold while commentating us nationals

Both Johnny and Tara regularly express preferences for certain skaters, across multiple competitions. Why isn't that bias?

I have never heard Johnny say that he prefers x-skater to y-skater.

Gabi’s support of ChockBates is not shocking— it is in keeping with her bias.

It sucks that as a victim of rape she lost her job. Hopefully her book will do well.

 

[Rukia]

I have never heard Johnny say that he prefers x-skater to y-skater.

Gabi’s support of ChockBates is not shocking— it is in keeping with her bias.

I think you and I listened to a different broadcast

 

[PRlady]

The NYT shouldn’t have run that story until they had comment from Gabby or her representative on the record.

 

[Allskate]

Gabi’s support of ChockBates is not shocking— it is in keeping with her bias.

Any commentator on NBC harping on C&B would have been shocking. Gabi wasn't exactly over the top in her praise of C&B. What Gabi said about C&B is probably not as gushing as what NBC would have liked. I don't remember Gabi saying anything negative about the French. I also don't remember her saying that she was rooting for C&B to beat the French.

 

[fan]

At US nationals Johnny also shared unsubstantiated rumors about Jason Brown's reputation in the skating world. IMO that's a much bigger demonstration of bias than anything Gabi said on air.

Uh, what now??