Repercussions of Papadakis' book & Cizeron's response

Vagabond said:
One thing that Papadakis and Cizeron have in common with the Shibutanis is that someone in a position of trust (Roman Haguenauer or Naomi Shibutani, for starters) witnessed at least some of the episodes and did not intervene. Haguenauer says in the excerpt linked above that he didn't see anything out of line in the way Cizeron treated Papadakis, and Naomi Shibutani might say the same about how her son treated her daughter. What was needed in both situations, however, was to look at the situation from the standpoint of Papadakis and Maia Shibutani and to speak up. To acquiesce in the inappropriate behavior when you are a coach or a parent is to affirm it.

I don't mean to suggest that strangers or casual acquaintance should intervene in similar situations, but even there, I think that there is sometimes a moral duty to do so, particularly when it is apparent that the victim is in distress.
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And that's exactly what I think Gabriella is trying to approach her memoir - there's a lot in her life that has caused her emotional trauma but the skating culture, where so many people ignore or miss the signs that there is something very wrong, for a variety of reasons but most often because the male partner is more valued than the female partner who is considered replaceable, hasn't done her any favors. For Haguenauer to state that he never saw anything amiss with how Cizeron treated and interacted with her... He's like every single friend or family member of a mass murderer who says, after the fact, "he was the nicest guy..." No, I'm not saying Guillaume is a mass murderer, but I do think there are plenty of signals and issues that were glossed over & disregarded, and there were plenty of toxic behaviors (like being a passive-aggressive a$$hole) that were allowed to continue without being addressed. So long as the money from the FFSG was coming in and the team kept winning... All was good, no matter how many bandages were holding it all together.
 
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Karen-W said:
And that's exactly where I think Gabriella is trying to approach her memoir - there's a lot in her life that has caused her emotional trauma but the skating culture, where so many people ignore or miss the signs that there is something very wrong, for a variety of reasons but most often because the male partner is more valued than the female partner who is considered replaceable, hasn't done her any favors. For Haguenauer to state that he never saw anything amiss with how Cizeron treated and interacted with her... He's like every single friend or family member of a mass murderer who says, after the fact, "he was the nicest guy..." No, I'm not saying Guillaume is a mass murderer, but I do think there are plenty of signals and issues that were glossed over & disregarded, and there were plenty of toxic behaviors (like being a passive-aggressive a$$hole) that were allowed to continue without being addressed. So long as the money from the FFSG was coming in and the team kept winning... All was good, no matter how many bandages were holding it all together.
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I completely agree. If anything, the fact that Haguenauer never saw anything amiss in Cizeron's behavior is just another red flag that perfectly demostrates how toxic skating culture and society in general can be. He saw nothing wrong because that's just the way things are. Totally normal and to be expected. For shame!
 
aemeraldrainc said:
I completely agree. If anything, the fact that Haguenauer never saw anything amiss in Cizeron's behavior is just another red flag that perfectly demostrates how toxic skating culture and society in general can be. He saw nothing wrong because that's just the way things are. Totally normal and to be expected. For shame!
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Yes! And even while they were in discussions about returning to compete and Gabriella demanded that she not have to share any sessions with Nik Sorensen... Marie-France certainly knew there was at least one sexual assault incident in Gabriella's past. If that's what it took for her to say yes, then there should have been ZERO hesitation on the part of IAM. And, notice, NONE of them have come out and said "oh, we were willing to accommodate her every request, we understood the trauma and while Sorensen has denied the charges, we couldn't, in good conscience, put Gabriella in an environment that made her deeply uncomfortable." Nope, it's all "oh, Guillaume never treated her badly, we never realized she was this troubled..."
 
Anyone else remember the documentary of Torvill & Dean years ago when they were training and Chris got very snarky at Jayne? It was leading up to the Olympics. The impression it gave was pretty bad for Chris and people went away from it thinking he was an a-hole. He definitely was the stronger partner personalitywise but one of reasons why they worked so well together was she could handle that personality.

But if you read their autobiography (great read BTW) they explained everything. The stress they were under along with being microphoned up added a whole other level. But after that when they cameras were not there they got a very productive 2 hours of practice done.

I don't think there is any doubt that they are best friends and had a great working relationship over the many years of their career. In fact you don't have a decades long career if you don't have that foundation. But even the best working relationships are going to have problems from time to time. That is something that can happen with creative partnerships.

In this instance there were obviously issues. It is a shame because they were certainly one of my favourite dance couples even. But with whatever is happening now, I don't have any opinion one way or another about either of them. I just don't know enough. Also learnt years ago (after my parents separation) that you can ask a person about the same event and they will both have their own perception. The truth can be somewhere in the middle.

However as with anything in skating, you hear things that you know are BS which you have to smash on the head. So have no problem with those who know more elaborating.
 
I think a lot of people are mad at Gabby because they think she paints Guillame as some monster. But what I've read sounds like an emotionally mature reflection - she says he did bad stuff to her, but she doesn't entirely blame him or leave herself blameless. Even in the scenario where he comes off the worst - the Sorensen support - she admits a little fault in not opening his text message.

The online hate she's getting for this - including the "keep it to yourself and your therapist" is shameful.

Daba said:
Well reading the book I began to think Gabi is worse than Pasha Grishuk. Especially after part where she hoped Tessa and Scott will fall 🙄 Then about miscarriage - that part is just sick. She had the decision, but her partner and coaches are blamed for it.
I don't want support Gabi just because she's a woman. So much jealousy in her words about Virtue and Moir and to Cizeron. I am just heartbroken and upset that my perception of her were far from reality
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Or this reply.

What skater hasn't wished for their competitors to fall so they can win or move up the rankings? It's part of being competitive. What's wrong about being honest about it? She's not the first skater to share this sentiment and she won't be the last. They're not hurting or sabotaging anyone, they just want to win.

Similarly, who wouldn't be jealous of someone who's a legend in the sport? Especially one that has an online fandom and press tour treating her like she's the fairest, sexiest, best, most beautiful ice dancer. Gabby actually talks about her admiration for Tessa in that sense. Meanwhile Gabby was getting a lot of online hate and called bad compared to Guillame.

And you're missing so much context about the miscarriage - in fact you're spreading the rumor she explicitly debunks in her book. She was incredibly upset that what she said was taken out of context in order to blame her coaches and partner. In the book she says she spent $13k of her own money trying to clear up that misconception by getting the documentary taken down.
 
Chris Dean didn’t yell at Jayne Torvill for nearly 15 minutes straight or lecture her about his ideas of basic skating technique or call her a bitch. I agree that any skating partnership is going to go through rough times where the partners don’t get along, but IMO nothing justifies Alex speaking to Maia like he did. I can’t think of any other side to that situation.
 
IIRC Tessa had to put up with crap too, certainly the Russians were calling her fat because she wasn’t emaciated. Tanith “wasn’t as good” as Ben and Meryl “couldn’t dance.” These ladies should found a belated support group.
 
www.lequipe.fr

Gabriella Papadakis ne commentera pas les JO 2026 pour la chaîne américaine NBC : «Je le vis avec un sentiment d'injustice»

Alors qu'elle devait initialement être consultante pour NBC lors des JO 2026, Gabriella Papadakis ne sera finalement pas à Milan-Cortina pour la chaîne américaine. Un changement dû à la mise en demeure de son ancien partenaire Guillaume Cizeron, consécutive à des propos tenus dans son livre.
www.lequipe.fr www.lequipe.fr

Auto-translation:

While she was initially slated to be a consultant for NBC during the 2026 Olympics, Gabriella Papadakis will ultimately not be at Milan-Cortina for the American network. This change is due to a cease-and-desist letter from her former partner, Guillaume Cizeron, following comments made in his book.

Editorial
Published on January 15, 2026 at 11:58 PM

Gabriella Papadakis will not be providing commentary for NBC at the 2026 Olympics. While she was initially slated to be a consultant for the American network, NBC ultimately decided not to collaborate with the 2022 Olympic ice dance champion. "To my knowledge, in response to the formal notice issued by Guillaume (Cizeron), which was made public, they considered that the perception of my neutrality was compromised, and that I would not be able to commentate on the Olympic Games," she explained Thursday in an interview with L'Équipe.

Papadakis (30) published her book, "Pour ne pas disparaître" (To Avoid Disappearing), on Thursday, in which she notably criticizes the behavior of Cizeron, her former partner who will compete in the 2026 Olympics with Laurence Fournier Beaudry. Cizeron issued a statement on Tuesday, explaining that he was issuing a formal notice to Papadakis. "Losing an opportunity to start a new career is very difficult to cope with. I understand NBC's position, but yes, I feel a sense of injustice," Papadakis added in our pages.
 
Sylvia said:
"To my knowledge, in response to the formal notice issued by Guillaume (Cizeron), which was made public, they considered that the perception of my neutrality was compromised, and that I would not be able to commentate on the Olympic Games," she explained Thursday in an interview with L'Équipe.
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Sylvia said:
Papadakis (30) published her book, "Pour ne pas disparaître" (To Avoid Disappearing), on Thursday, in which she notably criticizes the behavior of Cizeron, her former partner who will compete in the 2026 Olympics with Laurence Fournier Beaudry. Cizeron issued a statement on Tuesday, explaining that he was issuing a formal notice to Papadakis. "Losing an opportunity to start a new career is very difficult to cope with. I understand NBC's position, but yes, I feel a sense of injustice," Papadakis added in our pages.
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This is what I thought happened. I don't think they really needed Guillaume's "formal notice" to her. The book alone makes her appear not to be neutral even though her commentary has been fine. I understand NBC taking this position (even though neutrality isn't exactly a word I associate with their coverage), but I also wouldn't be unhappy if Guillaume were to run into his partner during a twizzle sequence at the Olympics.
 
I was explaining all this to DH during a long drive this morning. He was pretty nonchalant about the she-said/he-said til I got to the part about losing the NBC job. He agreed with me that was significant harm.

Cizeron has endorsements, a skating partner, the backing of his notorious Federation and the most important dance training center. Gabby has…a book agent who works for the publisher whose interests are not necessarily aligned with hers. The power imbalance is awful.
 
French daily sportpaper l'Equipe is publishing an itw of Gabriella today. I use their app but I think the linking process is the same. Link (paywall) Edit : seems it does not work.

Il y a eu des titres sensationnalistes comme "le couple se déchire". ça rend fou parce que tu te dis « j'ai passé tout ce temps à écrire un livre pour justement explorer la complexité, essayer de faire comprendre aux gens ce qui se passe, comment ces systèmes perdurent. Et là... C'est dommage que mon travail soit réduit à ça. Guillaume, ce n'est pas le sujet de mon livre.
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Google translation
There have been sensationalist headlines like "The couple is falling apart." It's maddening because you think, "I spent all this time writing a book precisely to explore the complexity, to try to make people understand what's happening, how these systems persist. And now... It's a shame that my work is reduced to this. Guillaume, that's not the subject of my book."
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We, who were lucky to have received a pre copy of the book, kept on repeating it was not all about Cizeron. But our media colleagues and the cohort of überCizfans could not care less. To me, mainstream media and the masses of blind Cizeron worshippers have been an active part of this disgusting mess.
 
Skating is such a crap shot, and I couldn't even begin to imagine the pressure of putting in years of training and having to deliver on that committment when it counts. Not only for yourself, but in front of a global audience as well.

Like John Curry and Rosalynn Summers said of their respective Olympic experiences, "The next four minutes will determine the rest of my life."

I have to wonder how much of an influence Gracie Gold's recent book played into Gabriella detailing her own experience in print. One thing is for sure. It is certainly the talk of Europeans this week.
 
PRlady said:
I was explaining all this to DH during a long drive this morning. He was pretty nonchalant about the she-said/he-said til I got to the part about losing the NBC job. He agreed with me that was significant harm.

Cizeron has endorsements, a skating partner, the backing of his notorious Federation and the most important dance training center. Gabby has…a book agent who works for the publisher whose interests are not necessarily aligned with hers. The power imbalance is awful.
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I would blame NBC as much as Cizeron for letting her go.
 
cholla said:
We, who were lucky to have received a pre copy of the book, kept on repeating it was not all about Cizeron. But our media colleagues and the cohort of überCizfans could not care less. To me, mainstream media and the masses of blind Cizeron worshippers have been an active part of this disgusting mess.
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Most of what I've seen was actually the oppostive - more along the lines of "OMG this proves Cizeron is eeeeeeevil". When from all reports about the actual book, Gabriella was a lot more nuanced and thoughtful.
 
MsZem said:
Most of what I've seen was actually the oppostive - more along the lines of "OMG this proves Cizeron is eeeeeeevil". When from all reports about the actual book, Gabriella was a lot more nuanced and thoughtful.
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Oh, there are PLENTY of Cizeron supporters out there that I've seen on X in recent days who are absolutely crapping all over Gabriella and still defending Guillaume without any sort of nuance or consideration that he may not be the most stand-up guy in the world.

I'll spare everyone the details but there's some pretty gross stuff being said about her in other corners of the internet and more than a few people who are baldly stating the only reason she has an OGM is because of Guillaume & he's the reason any team is successful. If I wasn't already rooting for ChoBat to triumph in a few weeks, these fans would turn me.
 
Karen-W said:
Oh, there are PLENTY of Cizeron supporters out there that I've seen on X in recent days who are absolutely crapping all over Gabriella and still defending Guillaume without any sort of nuance or consideration that he may not be the most stand-up guy in the world.

I'll spare everyone the details but there's some pretty gross stuff being said about her in other corners of the internet and more than a few people who are baldly stating the only reason she has an OGM is because of Guillaume & he's the reason any team is successful. If I wasn't already rooting for ChoBat to triumph in a few weeks, these fans would turn me.
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The Cizeron supporters on Twitter might be loud, but there are only a few of them. The vast majority of the responses have been hateful towards Cizeron and declaring him as evil, who will "not see the gates to heaven". I also see no reason to bring C/B into this discussion. This isn't about rooting for one's favorites.

For me, what saddens me the most is that once again, Gabi's autonomy is taken from her. Every time she attempts to tell her story, either the fans or the media twist her words or omit important context in order to make them fit narratives they already had (the fans) or to have them serve as better clickbait (the media).
This is Gabi's story, Cizeron is a character in that story, but she's the main character, and the way the book was promoted so far (either by fault of the media, her publisher, or both), has actually made it all about him when in reality she was trying to tell a much more complex an nuanced story, and was trying to dismantle the power dynamics in the sport. I really hope that, for her sake, this trajectory will change and the focus will shift back to her.
 
angi said:
The Cizeron supporters on Twitter might be loud, but there are only a few of them. The vast majority of the responses have been hateful towards Cizeron and declaring him as evil, who will "not see the gates to heaven". I also see no reason to bring C/B into this discussion. This isn't about rooting for one's favorites.

For me, what saddens me the most is that once again, Gabi's autonomy is taken from her. Every time she attempts to tell her story, either the fans or the media twist her words or omit important context in order to make them fit narratives they already had (the fans) or to have them serve as better clickbait (the media).
This is Gabi's story, Cizeron is a character in that story, but she's the main character, and the way the book was promoted so far (either by fault of the media, her publisher, or both), has actually made it all about him when in reality she was trying to tell a much more complex an nuanced story, and was trying to dismantle the power dynamics in the sport. I really hope that, for her sake, this trajectory will change and the focus will shift back to her.
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Her book was ill-timed. It would have been better if she waited until Cizeron retired from skating.
 
Karen-W said:
Oh, there are PLENTY of Cizeron supporters out there that I've seen on X in recent days who are absolutely crapping all over Gabriella and still defending Guillaume without any sort of nuance or consideration that he may not be the most stand-up guy in the world.
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Oh, I'm not denying that! And it's disgusting; Gabriella doesn't deserve the vitriol (not to mention, she's a wonderful ice dancer in her own right). My point was really just that people are rushing to judgment based on a book many of them haven't read, and it's not limited to Cizeron supporters.
 
OrioleBeagle said:
Her book was ill-timed. It would have been better if she waited until Cizeron retired from skating.
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See the quotes from her above: "the publication date had already been planned before the announcement of his return".
In all llikelihood they were targeting the Olympics due to the increase in interest for skating, and Gabi being the reigning Olympic champion. His return just made it all into the perfect storm.
 
The Shibs video doesn’t bother me. People lose their temper, they argue and swear and do a time out and either talk it out and apologize. I’ve been there and done that.
 
I am going to read the book when I get a chance, I am a fan of Laurenc but this gives me pause on her partnership with Ciz as did her partnership with Sorensen.

Papadakis has every right in the world to the speak her truth as she knows it. Ciz DOES come off as a pompous a$$ but then so have most ice dancers since I have started really watching it back in 1991.

Frankly speaking, I want Fear and Gibson winning at Olympics.

G&P silver and who cares for bronze.
 
Judy said:
The Shibs video doesn’t bother me. People lose their temper, they argue and swear and do a time out and either talk it out and apologize.
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Is there any reason to believe that he apologized or talked it over with her before someone posted the video on the Internet? Or that he did so on previous occasions? Or that he is working on the ptofound personal problems the video exposed?

In my experience, siblings who bully siblings do not apologize, do not stop, do not make amends, and do not own up to the damage they inflict.
 
Vagabond said:
Is there any reason to believe that he apologized or talked it over with her before someone posted the video on the Internet? Or that he did so on previous occasions? Or that he is working on the ptofound personal problems the video exposed?

In my experience, siblings who bully siblings do not apologize, do not stop, do not make amends, and do not own up to the damage they inflict.
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We will have to agree to disagree.
 
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