Guillaume Cizeron, the Olympic ice dance champion, expressed on Tuesday that his former skating partner, Gabriella Papadakis, is spreading falsehoods about him as the Milan-Cortina Winter Games approach.
The French athlete, who currently competes with Laurence Fournier Beaudry, claims he is the target of a smear campaign fueled by Papadakis’s upcoming book, So as Not to Disappear, set to be released later this week.
Cizeron and Papadakis became one of the most celebrated pairs in ice dance history before announcing the end of their professional collaboration in December 2024. Throughout their distinguished career, they were recognized for executing some of the most groundbreaking and precise routines in figure skating.
They set a new world record while winning gold at the Beijing Games and also earned an Olympic silver medal, five world championships, and five European Championships. Additionally, they triumphed at the Grand Prix Final on two occasions.
In extracts from her book shared by French media, Papadakis depicted a severely imbalanced relationship with Cizeron, labeling him a “controlling” and “demanding” partner, and conveying a sense of “being under his grip” that developed over time.
Cizeron raised concerns about the timing of the book’s release, which coincides closely with the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on February 6.
“In light of this smear campaign against me, I want to express my confusion and disagreement with the labels being placed upon me,” Cizeron stated. “These accusations emerge during a particularly delicate period … prompting questions about the motives behind this campaign. I also wish to condemn the book’s content, which includes false information, attributing to me statements I have never made and find serious.”
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Olympic ice dance champions Papadakis and Cizeron retire
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Papadakis and Cizeron capture 2022 Olympic gold
In her book, Papadakis also disclosed the emotional struggles she faced during her adolescence, the sexual assaults she endured, and her experience with abortion. She mentioned that at one point in her relationship with Cizeron, the thought of being alone with him filled her with fear.
Cizeron indicated that he has instructed his lawyers “to officially notify all parties involved to immediately halt the spread of defamatory remarks about me.”
“For over 20 years, I have demonstrated immense respect for Gabriella Papadakis, whom I have always seen as a genuine partner,” he remarked. “Even though our connection gradually weakened over time, our relationship, founded on equal collaboration both in sports and personally, was characterized by moments of achievement and mutual support.”
Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry secured their first Grand Prix victory together in October at the Grand Prix de France, followed by a win at the Finlandia Trophy. Fournier Beaudry, who previously represented Canada, recently acquired French citizenship, enabling the duo to compete together at the Olympics, where they are expected to be strong contenders.
