The 24-hour window to appeal the results of the 2026 Winter Olympics ice dance competition passed, and United States Figure Skating did not appeal the controversial ruling that led to a silver-medal finish for Team USA pair Madison Chock and Evan Bates. A USFS official stated to USA Today that the association did not file an inquiry by the Feb. 12 deadline.
Chock and Bates finished a mere 0.43 points behind the French team of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron in the ice dance event, and the judges’ scores drew public scrutiny. The American pair trailed narrowly after the rhythm dance portion of the competition, and while five of nine judges awarded them a higher score than the French duo in the free dance, they still came up less than a point short. French judge Jezabel Dabouis gave the French team a score more than seven points higher than Chock and Bates.
“There has been a lot of thoughtful, and at times emotional, discussion about the ice dance competition in Milan,” USFS CEO Matt Farrell stated to USA Today. “Working together with Madi and Evan after the Games, we will have thoughtful and intentional discussions about the best way to support them and the future of the sport. For now, we plan to join them in supporting the success of U.S. Figure Skating in Milan.”
Dabouis gave Chock and Bates a 129.74-point score for their ice dance routine. She awarded Beaudry and Cizeron 137.45 points. The difference between those marks was the largest of any judge, and the score given to the Americans was the lowest of the judges.
That scoring decision raised eyebrows and sparked concerns that Dabouis unfairly favored her home country’s team. But the International Skating Union issued a statement defending the judges’ decisions.
“It is normal for there to be a range of scores given by different judges in any panel and a number of mechanisms are used to mitigate these variations,” the ISU stated, per the Associated Press, adding it has “full confidence in the scores given and remains completely committed to fairness.”
Chock and Bates earned their first Olympic ice dance medal but were favored to win gold, especially considering they entered the free dance in lockstep with the leaders. They won a gold medal in the team event earlier in the Games. Chock expressed disappointment with the controversial scoring decision that stood between him and a third career Olympic gold medal.
“I think it would definitely be helpful if it’s more understandable for the viewers to see more transparent judging and understand what’s really going on,” Chock stated in an interview with CBS News. “It’s also important for the skaters that the judges be vetted and reviewed and that they are also putting out their best performance. There’s a lot on the line for the skaters when they’re out there giving it their all. We also deserve to have the judges giving it their all and for it to be a fair and even playing field.”
