From the outside, figure skating looks ethereal. Perfect lines, effortless lifts and music timed to the breath. The Olympic ice rinks are where you go to see elegance, control, and serenity. But the truth behind the scenes at Milano-Cortina 2026 is a whole different story.
What looks so graceful on the surface actually hidesone of the most drama-filled storylines of the Olympics, a rivalry that’s as layered as a Netflix series would be. In fact, there’s already a Netflix show about it: Glitter & Gold, which shows what’s really going on beneath the glamour. The politics, the pressure and the high personal cost of the sparkle.
At the eye of the storm is the intense rivalry in ice dance between couples Madison Chock / Evan Bates (USA) and Laurence Fournier Beaudry / Guillaume Cizeron (France).
1. Rhythm Dance Decided by Less Than Half a Point
On the 9th February the rhythm dance at the 2026 Milano — Cortina games suddenly turned everything on its head. In ice dance, the overall Olympic winner is decided by two segments: the rhythm dance and the free dance.
Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France took the provisional lead in the first segment with 90.18 points, edging Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States by just 0.46.
It all came down to a single technical call. The French pair got a Level 4 on their step sequence, and Chock and Bates received a Level 3, which now turned the whole medal picture on its head.
In figure skating, one little slip-up like that can make all the difference between winning a medal and coming home empty-handed and in this case, it dramatically changed the hierarchy heading into the free dance decider.
2. Judging Decisions Under Scrutiny
The final scores triggered a massive debate. From the generous marks given to the French pair to the presence of a French official on the panel, critics in the US had plenty of questions. No official violations were found, but the episode put a spotlight back on the long-standing controversy over subjectivity in figure skating scoring and the sensitivity of Olympic scoring.
3. Guillaume Cizeron Already an Olympic Champion
Cizeron isn’t going for his first Olympic gold medal. The Frenchman won the title at Beijing 2022 with ex-skating-partner Gabriella Papadakis and he’s actually widely seen by many as one of the strongest ice dancers of his generation.
This Olympic cycle, though, is all about a pretty major thing: trying to win a second Olympic gold medal alongside a new partner. Something that hardly anyone in the sport has even dared to try and absolutely no one has ever pulled off.
5. Papadakis Split Continues to Influence Narrative
Cizeron’s new Olympic campaign has been unfolding with him stuck in the shadow of his split from Papadakis. Weeks before the game, she came out with a memoir that described their time together as a partnership as emotionally imbalanced, allegations that he has firmly denied and legally challenged.
The situation ended up influencing Olympic coverage, with NBC publicly removing her from its commentary team.
6. Fournier Beaudry’s Past Adds Pressure
Laurence Fournier Beaudry’s partnership with Nikolaj Sorensen ended on pretty disastrous terms. A serious disciplinary case put an end to their competitive skating days together and its impact is still reverberating.
The figure skating partnership collapsed after Sørensen became the subject of an investigation by Canada’s Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) regarding allegations of sexual assault dating back to 2012. While the pair tried to compete, the situation eventually made their presence untenable and the 2025 disciplinary rulings resulted in a long-term suspension for Sørensen, effectively barring the duo from the 2026 Winter Olympics and ending Laurence’s final chance at an Olympic chance.
Fournier Beaudry recently said she feels like collateral damage. Now the case still casts a shadow over her new partnership.
7. History and Legacy on the Line
This is an exciting Olympic showdown. No ice dance couple formed less than a year before the Olympics has ever won gold. On the other hand, Chock and Bates, despite their 3 world championships, have never won individual Olympic gold. A
Milano–Cortina is likely Bates’ last shot at winning the title, while Cizeron could make history and grab his second Olympic gold with a different partner.
The upcoming free dance scheduled for Wednesday will be the make-or-break moment and deciding factor in whether Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron rewrite history, or Bates finally gets the Olympic gold they’ve been chasing.
