A judge from France at the Winter Olympics is under scrutiny for allegedly manipulating the figure skating competition to ensure a gold medal for her country. The French pair, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, clinched the gold with a total score of 225.82, narrowly surpassing Team USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates by just 1.43 points.
Controversy arose when the scores of the French judge, Jezabel Dabouis, surfaced online, casting doubt on the outcome. In the ice dance event, skaters perform two routines – the rhythm dance and the free dance. Despite Chock and Bates being three-time world champions in the discipline and favorites in Milan, the judges’ decisions sparked debate.
Following the rhythm dance segment, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron received top marks, edging out the Americans. Notably, Dabouis’ scoring significantly favored her compatriots, raising eyebrows due to the discrepancy among judges. Despite five judges ranking the French pair the highest, Chock and Bates were still close in scores.
In the free dance round, the tables turned, with five of the nine judges favoring Chock and Bates. However, Dabouis notably awarded a substantial 7.71-point lead to Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron. The International Skating Union responded to the backlash, affirming confidence in the scoring system and commitment to fairness.
In a statement, a spokesperson stated that variations in scores are common among judges, with mechanisms in place to address discrepancies. Meanwhile, the American skaters, in an interview with NBC News, expressed mixed emotions but remained proud of their performances. Bates acknowledged the subjective nature of the sport and the unpredictability of outcomes.
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