Ice dance champion Cizeron accuses ex-partner Papadakis of smear campaign ahead of Olympics Games

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France celebrate their gold medal during the Ice Dance victory ceremony at the Figure Skating World Championships in Montpellier, south of France, Saturday, March 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, file)

PARIS (AP) — Olympic ice dance champion Guillaume Cizeron said Tuesday that his former on-ice partner Gabriella Papadakis is spreading lies about him in the lead-up to the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

The French skater, who now competes with Laurence Fournier Beaudry of Montreal, said he is the victim of a smear campaign fueled by a book written by Papadakis, “So as Not to Disappear,” that will be released later this week.

Papadakis and Cizeron became one of the most decorated duos in the history of ice dance before they announced the end of their sporting partnership in December 2024. During their glittering career, they were credited with some of the most innovative and clinical sequences to music that figure skating has seen.

They broke their own world record in claiming gold at the Beijing Games and also won an Olympic silver medal, five world championships and five European Championships. The pair won the Grand Prix Final twice.

In excerpts of her book published by French media, Papadakis described a deeply unbalanced relationship with Cizeron. She wrote about a “controlling” and “demanding” partner, and expressed a feeling of “being under his grip” that settled in over the years.

Cizeron questioned the timing of the release, just weeks before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Feb. 6.

“In the face of the smear campaign targeting me, I want to express my incomprehension and my disagreement with the labels being attributed to me,” Cizeron said. “These allegations arise at a particularly sensitive time... thereby raising questions about the underlying intentions behind this campaign. I also wish to denounce the content of the book, which contains false information, attributing to me, among other things, statements I have never made and which I consider serious.”

In her book, Papadakis also revealed the emotional turmoil she went through during her teenage years, sexual assaults she suffered, and her experience of abortion. Papadakis wrote that at a certain point in her relationship with Cizeron, the idea of finding herself alone with him terrified her.

Cizeron said he has asked his lawyers “to formally put all parties involved on notice to immediately cease the dissemination of defamatory statements about me.”

“For more than 20 years, I have shown deep respect for Gabriella Papadakis, whom I have always regarded as a true partner,” he said. “Despite a gradual erosion of our bond over the years, our relationship — based on equal collaboration both athletically and personally — has been marked by moments of success and mutual support.”

Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry won their first Grand Prix competition together in October at the Grand Prix de France, then claimed the Finlandia Trophy. Fournier Beaudry previously competed for Canada. She recently gained French citizenship, clearing the path for the pair to compete together at the Olympics, where they will be among the top contenders.

This report by The Associated Press was first published on Jan. 13, 2026.

Samuel Petrequin, The Associated Press