“‘Right Before The Olympics, Everything Changed’: New Star Laurence Fournier Beaudry Linked To Resurfacing Controversy Involving Former Partner Nikolaj Sørensen — And Fans Think The Timing Isn’t A Coincidence”

French ice dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron performed in the figure skating exhibition gala, their first time back on the 2026 Winter Olympics ice since the controversy over their scoring
The duo, who won gold in ice dancing on Feb. 11, skated to “Metamorphosis” by Mad Rush
Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron narrowly earned gold over the U.S.’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates

French ice dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron returned to Olympic ice for a final time, and for the first time since the controversy over the judge scoring that earned them gold.

Fournier Beaudry, 33, and Cizeron, 31, performed in the figure skating exhibition gala at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Saturday, Feb. 21, skating to “Metamorphosis” by Mad Rush. The exhibition gala takes place at the end of every Olympics competition and typically involves the medalists from each event performing a more relaxed program, sans judging.

The duo were met with light applause as they performed a dreamy, romantic routine.

Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron won gold in ice dancing on Feb. 11, snagging the first place spot over Team USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates by just 1.42 points. But controversy soon swirled over their score — a 225.82, despite significant synchronization errors from Cizeron in his twizzles — and that they were still scored higher than Chock and Bates, who had a clean skate.

As the score breakdown came out, skating commentators noticed a clear shift in the scoring from the French judge, Jezabel Dabouis. She gave Chock and Bates a 129.74 for their free dance, the lowest score of all nine judges and more than five points lower than the average. Meanwhile, Dabouis gave Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron a 137.45, nearly three points higher than the average.

Gold medalists Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron.Matthew Stockman/Getty

Chock and Bates were asked over the next few days if they would appeal the score, but U.S. Figure Skating decided against it. The U.S. duo said to reporters after that they felt they did everything they could with their skate, but admitted to feeling “disappointment” in an interview with PEOPLE a day after the final.

“I think there were a lot of emotions flooding through us yesterday. I think there was some disappointment for sure,” Chock said, before pausing to collect herself amid tears. “It’s been a long journey, but I certainly have a lot of pride for what we have accomplished, and who we’ve become on the way to those accomplishments. So in general, [we’re feeling] gratitude.”

Along with the on-ice drama, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron were the subject of off-ice controversy before the Olympics began. For Fournier Beaudy, the conversation has centered on her boyfriend and former ice dance partner, Nikolaj Sørensen, who was suspended from the sport in 2024 after he was accused of a 2012 sexual assault of a former skater and coach. He previously denied the allegations, and she has supported him publicly.

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Cizeron, meanwhile, was accused of being “controlling, demanding and critical” by his longtime partner Gabriella Papadakis, with whom he won the gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, in an interview last month, ahead of the release of her memoir So as Not to Disappear.

The former skater wrote that she felt like she was under Cizeron’s “control” and that she was “terrified” at the idea of being alone with him. Cizeron has called her accusations a “smear campaign” in a statement to Reuters and said that he was pursuing legal action.

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.