French Winter Olympics Judge Accused of Rigging Figure Skating to Secure Gold for Her Compatriots
A French judge at the Winter Olympics has come under intense scrutiny following allegations that she manipulated the outcome of the figure skating competition to benefit her fellow countrymen. The controversy centers on the ice dance event, where Team USA's Madison Chock and Evan Bates were left heartbroken after narrowly missing out on the gold medal to France's Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron.
Devastating Loss for American Pair
The American duo believed they had delivered what they described as a flawless, gold-medal performance, with Chock visibly emotional during her post-event interview. Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron ultimately clinched the gold with a total score of 225.82, edging out the Americans by a mere 1.43 points. Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier secured the bronze medal, adding to the competitive tension of the event.
Scoring Discrepancies Spark Outrage
Controversy erupted when score sheets revealed the judging patterns of French judge Jezabel Dabouis. In the free dance segment, she awarded the French pair 137.45 points, which was the second-highest score given by any judge on the panel. However, she was the only judge who did not score Team USA above 130 points, assigning them a notably lower 129.74. Had she crossed that threshold, the final margin between the teams would have been even tighter, potentially altering the outcome.
Significant Scoring Gaps Raise Eyebrows
The disparity in scoring has raised significant concerns among observers and fans alike. For instance, the U.S. and Chinese judges awarded Chock and Bates notably high scores of 137.67 and 136.95, respectively. In contrast, Dabouis' scoring gap between the French and American teams was nearly eight points, which was significantly larger than that of any other judge on the panel. This inconsistency has fueled speculation about potential bias in the judging process.
Judging Panel Dynamics and Rankings
Further analysis of the judging reveals intriguing dynamics. Five of the nine judges ranked the American duo highest in the free dance, compared to four who placed France first. In the rhythm dance, Dabouis again scored France highest at 93.34, almost six points more than her score for the U.S., which was the second-lowest among the panel. Across both segments, no judge ranked the Americans lower than second, with three placing them first. Meanwhile, judges from Great Britain and Germany positioned France in third place during parts of the competition, highlighting the divided opinions among the international panel.
Calls for Investigation and Social Media Backlash
Despite the mixed rankings, the French pair finished narrowly ahead, leading to accusations on social media platforms. Fans have been vocal in their criticism, with some calling for a formal investigation and labeling the situation a judging scandal. One user exclaimed, There must be an investigation! while another posted, This is a judging scandal. The outcry underscores the growing demand for transparency and fairness in Olympic sports judging.
Notable Absences in Scoring Panel
Adding to the controversy, it was noted that the American judge was excluded from the rhythm dance scoring panel, while the French judge remained. This absence has led to questions about the composition and impartiality of the judging teams, with critics arguing that such exclusions could influence the overall fairness of the competition. The incident has sparked a broader debate about the integrity of judging in figure skating and other subjective sports at the Olympic level.
