U.S. Declines to Appeal Controversial Olympic Ice Dance Decision
The latest ice dance controversy surrounding the Olympic results will not see an appeal from the United States. U.S. Figure Skating has announced that it will not contest the judging scores from the recent Olympic free dance competition.
Decision Not to Appeal Ice Dance Results
This decision follows last week’s Olympic event in which France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron secured gold over American duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Reports from USA Today, authored by Jordan Mendoza and Christine Brennan, highlighted the controversy surrounding the judges’ scores.
Judging Scrutiny
The judging decisions have raised significant concerns among fans and reporters alike. According to U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell, there has been considerable discussion about the recent ice dance competition held in Milan. In a statement, he remarked, “There has been a lot of thoughtful, and at times emotional, discussion about the ice dance competition in Milan.”
| Teams | Scores | Judge’s Name |
|---|---|---|
| Beaudry & Cizeron | 137.45 | Jezabel Dabouis |
| Chock & Bates | 129.74 | Jezabel Dabouis |
The scoring discrepancies were particularly notable, with judge Jezabel Dabouis assigning Beaudry and Cizeron a score of 137.45, significantly higher than the 129.74 given to Chock and Bates. This marked differential has been one of the largest seen among judges in recent competitions.
Ongoing Issues in Ice Dance Scoring
The discussion around scoring continues to be a hot topic within the sport. Teams have expressed concerns regarding the marks throughout the season. Historical patterns show that ice dance has frequently faced scrutiny over judging practices.
Looking ahead, U.S. Figure Skating plans to support Chock and Bates and will engage in discussions on how to enhance the future of the sport. Farrell emphasized this commitment to collaboration post-Games, signaling an intent to address ongoing concerns within the ice dance community.
