Olympic Ice Dancer Claims Partner is Waging a ‘Smear Campaign’ Against Him
Gold medalist in Olympic ice dancing, Guillaume Cizeron, has accused his former partner of launching a smear campaign against him with her recently published memoir.
Gabriella Papadakis unveiled her memoir, Pour ne pas disparaître (So as Not to Disappear
Throughout her collaboration with Cizeron, she reportedly faced “conflicts, constant anxiety, health issues, and the sensation of being under a certain form of control.” Cizeron countered her statements via a message to the French media, stating, “In light of this smear campaign, I must express my confusion and disagreement with the labels assigned to me.” Cizeron further stated, “The book contains false information, including remarks I never made, which I take very seriously. For over two decades, I have shown great respect for Gabriella Papadakis, despite our gradually deteriorating relationship. Our partnership was built on mutual collaboration, success, and support.” He mentioned that he has directed his legal team to “notify all involved parties to immediately stop spreading defamatory claims about me.” Cizeron and Papadakis, 30, were childhood skating partners until 2024. They secured Olympic gold in 2022 and claimed silver at the 2018 Winter Games for Team France. Additionally, they won five World Championship gold medals from 2015 to 2022. “Publicly, we appear to be the best of friends,” Papadakis explains in her book. “We laugh and joke until we cry. However, while some complicity remains, it disappears when no one else is watching.” The allegations emerge as Cizeron gears up to perform in the 2026 Winter Olympics with his new partner, Laurence Fournier Beaudry. Ice dancing begins on February 6, coinciding with the opening ceremony in Milan.
Simone Biles and MyKayla Skinner have a history predating the retired gymnast’s controversial remarks about Team USA’s work ethic. “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and depth just isn’t what it used to be. I mean, obviously, a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work […] Papadakis, who has since retired from competition, continues to cover the sport for NBC. In response to rumors in 2025 about her departure from competitive skating to focus on shows, Papadakis clarified via Instagram, “That’s not what happened. I left because the environment I was in turned deeply unhealthy. I was worn out, both physically and psychologically, and had to leave to safeguard myself. I faced no other option.” Papadakis’ memoir not only delves into her relationship with Cizeron but also recounts her early life, which she says included experiences of sexual abuse. She critiques the culture within ice dancing, stating that since it is structured for men to lead and women to follow, it empowers men within the sport. “I’m not suffering because I was sexually abused in my youth, but because every day I find myself in situations where my body doesn’t belong to me,” she writes. “I exist without truly being present, merely ‘half-inhabiting’ this body that mechanically executes the actions it’s commanded to perform.”
