2025-26 U.S. Ice Dance News, Updates & Discussion - Backstreet Boys & Spice Girls

[BittyBug]

I don't think that Maia would have to file a complaint for US Figure Skating to determine that Alex's behavior is not consistent with US Figure Skating's code of conduct or the image they want their athletes to project.

 

[jlai]

I do think there has to be some process for such kinds of complaints, whatever that process is. It needs to be followed.
Safesport complaints need someone to file a complaint; why would this be different?

I simply don't think USFS reacting to things posted on the internet is a good process. The process has to be fair and equally applied to every skater.

Either way, this is a bad situation for Maia. If complaints are filed, the family dynamic could be even harder for her

 

[tony]

I do think there has to be some process for such kinds of complaints, whatever that process is. It needs to be followed.
Safesport complaints need someone to file a complaint; why would this be different?

I simply don't think USFS reacting to things posted on the internet is a good process. The process has to be fair and equally applied to every skater.

Either way, this is a bad situation for Maia. If complaints are filed, the family dynamic could be even harder for her

I don't understand where you're coming from at all. Sorry.

The USFS can simply say the actions in the video are not in alignment with our standards or expectations of our athletes [as has been said in almost exact words two posts above this].

The information is out there, whether they thought it was closed-session or not. This was on a live stream, even more freely available than text messages or other means of communication that get 'revealed'.

And honestly, you keep saying it's a bad situation for Maia. Maybe in terms of a skating future, yes. But in terms of fixing what seems to be long-broken, no. Your posts are giving very 'won't you please think of her?!' which is what everyone seems to actually be doing.

 

[Karen-W]

And honestly, you keep saying it's a bad situation for Maia. Maybe in terms of a skating future, yes. But in terms of fixing what seems to be long-broken, no. Your posts are giving very 'won't you please think of her?!' which is what everyone seems to actually be doing.

Frankly, while I do believe most of the posters commenting are coming from a place of genuine concern for Maia, it strikes me that a lot of people are overlooking the fact that most, if not all of us here on FSU, do not know Maia personally - and possibly forgetting that when it comes to abusive situations, even those who do know a victim personally are often powerless to help someone who cannot/does not believe there is an actual problem. I'm not sure that continued piling on or commenting all over the internet is going change that if Maia doesn't think there's a problem to be fixed. And even if she does, how much is it our business how she addresses it or tries to fix it? There are a lot of people ruminating on what course of action they want Maia to take, operating on a presumption that Maia's ready to "wash that man right out of my hair" - and if she's not, she needs to get to that point pronto.

It's all reading very similar to the treatment Laurence Fournier-Beaudry has received online for sticking with Nik Soerensen - which has always carried with it an air of "we know better than the potential abuse victim." Like it or not, neither woman needs to listen to what a bunch of internet FS fans up on their soapboxes have to say about their personal relationships.

 

[Jarrett]

Like it or not, neither woman needs to listen to what a bunch of internet FS fans up on their soapboxes have to say about their personal relationships.

Of course, I hope Maia has support if she wants/needs it but I also do not want the USFSA supporting this type of skating relationship/partnership. I don't want to see them championing the banner of the USFSA and benefiting from any funding it provides as it shows a very unhealthy relationship dynamic.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

In 1993 when Torvill & Dean were making their Olympic comeback, a documentary team was filming their every move.

Returning to international competition, in this segment the pair had won the 1994 European Title by the smallest of margins. Knowing they would need to invest more time in sharpening their compulsory dances to stay ahead of their Russian rivals, Dean wanted everything to be perfect.

In one tense moment, they caught Christopher berating Jayne in an argument that apparently lasted about ten minutes.

To her credit, Torvill put up with as much as she could tolerate that day and left the building. (Later, when Jayne was quizzed about the incident on Australian TV, she laughed it off and said it was just one moment which was blown up by the media.)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

The biggest difference between Torvill & Dean, and the Shibutanis is that both British partners were married (not to each other), and therefore had outside sources of emotional support to lean on. To the best of my knowledge, Maia Shibutani does not. (Her body language when Alex was spraying at her seemed less intimidated than fed up with his BS.)

I have to take the fact the YouTube clip was posted by Dave Lease (who rode high on the coattails of drama when he was involved in the sport) with a hefty grain of salt.

Nevertheless if anyone spoke like that to me, no matter how much is on the line, I would tell Alex to shove his comeback.

 

[jlai]

Frankly, while I do believe most of the posters commenting are coming from a place of genuine concern for Maia, it strikes me that a lot of people are overlooking the fact that most, if not all of us here on FSU, do not know Maia personally - and possibly forgetting that when it comes to abusive situations, even those who do know a victim personally are often powerless to help someone who cannot/does not believe there is an actual problem. I'm not sure that continued piling on or commenting all over the internet is going change that if Maia doesn't think there's a problem to be fixed. And even if she does, how much is it our business how she addresses it or tries to fix it? There are a lot of people ruminating on what course of action they want Maia to take, operating on a presumption that Maia's ready to "wash that man right out of my hair" - and if she's not, she needs to get to that point pronto.

It's all reading very similar to the treatment Laurence Fournier-Beaudry has received online for sticking with Nik Soerensen - which has always carried with it an air of "we know better than the potential abuse victim." Like it or not, neither woman needs to listen to what a bunch of internet FS fans up on their soapboxes have to say about their personal relationships.

Also if complaints end up penalizing one partner, it will change family dynamics where the family will have to take sides on the blame game which can go on to long term issues with their relationship.

I can’t speak for others, I still get into fights with my family over things that happen decades ago.

Of course, I hope Maia has support if she wants/needs it but I also do not want the USFSA supporting this type of skating relationship/partnership. I don't want to see them championing the banner of the USFSA and benefiting from any funding it provides as it shows a very unhealthy relationship dynamic.

If this is my workplace this will start off with verbal warning, then written warning then short term suspension and go on from there.

 

[Jarrett]

Also if complaints end up penalizing one partner, it will change family dynamics where the family will have to take sides on the blame game which can go on to long term issues with their relationship.

I can’t speak for others, I still get into fights with my family over things that happen decades ago.

If this is my workplace this will start off with verbal warning, then written warning then short term suspension and go on from there.

That is unfortunate re: your family.

I have a hard time thinking that any workplace would allow a coworker to speak to you for 40 minutes like that and get a verbal warning. What kind of work do you do?

At mine you would be suspended while management investigated and almost 100% unless you could prove that you had a serious medical episode that caused you to do it an even then you would never return to that office ever again.

 

[jlai]

That is unfortunate re: your family.

I have a hard time thinking that any workplace would allow a coworker to speak to you for 40 minutes like that and get a verbal warning. What kind of work do you do?

Ideally speaking the verbal warning would have happened ages ago.

Having been in a family with a successful elder brother that may have been the ‘favored one’, family taking sides is very unpleasant and it’s annoying to have these hurt feelings come up every time there is a family squabble. (You made me miss out on Olympics!) It really can sour family relationships fivefold.

 

[Karen-W]

That is unfortunate re: your family.

I have a hard time thinking that any workplace would allow a coworker to speak to you for 40 minutes like that and get a verbal warning. What kind of work do you do?

At mine you would be suspended while management investigated and almost 100% unless you could prove that you had a serious medical episode that caused you to do it an even then you would never return to that office ever again.

For starters, while the video lasted for 40 minutes, Alex wasn't verbally berating Maia for the entire 40 minutes, so let's step back from the exaggeration.

Secondly, as many of us have said here or in Sekret Sources, this was a situation ripe with opportunity for Alex to lose control - primarily because of the lack of a coach or anyone besides their mother being present. Regardless of what our own parents would have done in handling a similar situation between their children, in a professional work environment, a manager would certainly have stepped in long before the 25-30 minute mark - and that's presuming Alex ever lost control like that.

Having said that, yes, I do agree with you that had a coworker behaved that way for that length of time, they most certainly would have been placed on leave immediately. I once (20+ years ago) had a team lead take it upon herself to pull a similar stunt - our team was working 10-12 hr days and our manager had already left for the day when this "lead" asked me to come into the manager's office where she proceeded to berate me for approximately 30 minutes. What she did not know was that everyone else on our team could hear her quite clearly through the very thin wall separating the manager's office from the conference room where we were all working. I had one co-worker come up to me afterwards and apologize for the conflict this "lead" had been stoking between us - that 30-minute berating where I maintained my cool & didn't give the "lead" any of the ammunition she wanted was a real eye-opener for our entire team and several of them took it upon themselves to file into our manager's office the next morning & tell him exactly what they'd witnessed. By the end of the day, the team lead had been confronted about her conduct and she wound up on leave for treatment of her bi-polar disorder, which she blamed for how she spoke to me. She wound up not returning at the end of her medical leave.

 

[Jarrett]

For starters, while the video lasted for 40 minutes, Alex wasn't verbally berating Maia for the entire 40 minutes, so let's step back from the exaggeration.

Secondly, as many of us have said here or in Sekret Sources, this was a situation ripe with opportunity for Alex to lose control - primarily because of the lack of a coach or anyone besides their mother being present. Regardless of what our own parents would have done in handling a similar situation between their children, in a professional work environment, a manager would certainly have stepped in long before the 25-30 minute mark - and that's presuming Alex ever lost control like that.

Having said that, yes, I do agree with you that had a coworker behaved that way for that length of time, they most certainly would have been placed on leave immediately. I once (20+ years ago) had a team lead take it upon herself to pull a similar stunt - our team was working 10-12 hr days and our manager had already left for the day when this "lead" asked me to come into the manager's office where she proceeded to berate me for approximately 30 minutes. What she did not know was that everyone else on our team could hear her quite clearly through the very thin wall separating the manager's office from the conference room where we were all working. I had one co-worker come up to me afterwards and apologize for the conflict this "lead" had been stoking between us - that 30-minute berating where I maintained my cool & didn't give the "lead" any of the ammunition she wanted was a real eye-opener for our entire team and several of them took it upon themselves to file into our manager's office the next morning & tell him exactly what they'd witnessed. By the end of the day, the team lead had been confronted about her conduct and she wound up on leave for treatment of her bi-polar disorder, which she blamed for how she spoke to me. She wound up not returning at the end of her medical leave.

If it is 30 seconds, if it was 2 hours it is NOT acceptable. You don't call someone you are working with names much less your sister. I would have been decked or disowned by anyone in my family if I said that type of thing to my siblings or family member. I can't think of one valid excuse.

This is interesting and feel free not to sure share, but what caused you to sit there for 30 minutes getting berated? I'm truly asking this question just so I can understand what someone in this position is thinking. I had a manager recently try to put me down for a mistake that I didn't even do and I instantly called them out on it but I don't let that stuff slide. Respect is 100% required in any relationships otherwise I'm not involving myself with you in any way.

 

[Karen-W]

If it is 30 seconds, if it was 2 hours it is NOT acceptable. You don't call someone you are working with names much less your sister. I would have decked or disowned by anyone in my family if I said that type of thing to my siblings or family member. I can't think of one valid excuse.

Listen, what is unacceptable in your family is acceptable in other families. The language was mild profanity and I can't say that I haven't heard worse between siblings, even mature ones.

This is interesting and feel free not to sure share, but what caused you to sit there for 30 minutes getting berated? I'm truly asking this question just so I can understand what someone in this position is thinking. I had a manager recently try to put me down for a mistake that I didn't even do and I instantly called them out on it but I don't let that stuff slide. Respect is 100% required in any relationships otherwise I'm not involving myself with you in any way.

Gosh, it's been so long... This "team lead" did a really good job of subtly isolating me and making me feel like I was the problem when, in reality, she was the one manufacturing ALL of the tension and drama. All I knew at the time, and even reflecting upon it all these years later, was that it was by the grace of God that I held my tongue and let her rip the way she did. Normally, I would have lost my temper, but not that time. She really went on a tear too - revealing stuff that the one co-worker with whom there'd been the most conflict had shared with her in confidence. The other factor was knowing that the "team lead" title held no real power - all she really could do was assign me the most difficult files and I was so competent & efficient that didn't phase me one bit - and I had the sense to recognize she was losing respect from outside of our team (she really did suffer from bipolar and was missing work with increasing frequency & airing her personal business all over the place), so it was only a matter of time. But, I did feel, still do, that God's hand was there on my shoulder, telling me to just let her do & say her worst & it would all work out. Little idea I had in those 30 minutes that it would be immediately afterward when my co-workers rallied around me.

 

[Tinycities]

Some of these comments just feel like making excuses for bad behavior. They’re adults, they don’t need us making excuses for them. They’re should know how to treat people, with empathy and respect.

 

[PRlady]

There are families with lots of yelling and families where the kids get a time-out just for a whiny attitude. That’s not the issue here.

The issue is a former star team attempting a comeback in what seems to be peculiar circumstances, in a sport that is the marquee sport of the Winter Olys, in a country where the dance field is arguably the deepest in the world. Under those circumstances, does anyone want a team characterized by nasty and abusive behavior from one partner to the other?

I think not.

 

[bladesofgorey]

Some families are filled with interpersonal violence or psychological abuse or both. Doesn't make it right, in fact living in this kind of environment is often the cause behind a child's mental illness or antisocial behavior. I guess "it's fine" though if lots of people know or have families like this. And if we normalize it oh well, it's not like we don't already have an excess of violent broken people who lack empathy.

 

[jlai]

There are families with lots of yelling and families where the kids get a time-out just for a whiny attitude. That’s not the issue here.

The issue is a former star team attempting a comeback in what seems to be peculiar circumstances, in a sport that is the marquee sport of the Winter Olys, in a country where the dance field is arguably the deepest in the world. Under those circumstances, does anyone want a team characterized by nasty and abusive behavior from one partner to the other?

I think not.

In the first place I actually am not sure the Shibs would make it.