'Smear campaign': Feud escalates between gold medal winners

Olympic ice dance champion Guillaume Cizeron of France has accused former partner Gabriella Papadakis of spreading falsehoods about him ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Cizeron, who is competing at the European Championships this week with new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry, said he is the target of a smear campaign linked to Papadakis' memoir, So As Not To Disappear, which is set for release on Friday.

Papadakis and Cizeron, who teamed up as children, were among the most decorated ice dance teams in history, winning five world championship titles and gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

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They said they were taking a break in June 2022, and announced their retirement two years later.

In excerpts published by French media, Papadakis described an "unbalanced" relationship, calling Cizeron "controlling" and "demanding," and said she often felt "under his grip."

"In the face of this smear campaign, I want to express my incomprehension and disagreement with the labels attributed to me," Cizeron said in a statement.

"The book contains false information, including statements I never made, which I consider serious."

He added that his lawyers have been instructed to demand an immediate halt to what he called defamatory claims.

"For more than 20 years, I have shown deep respect for Gabriella Papadakis," Cizeron said.

"Despite the gradual erosion of our bond, our relationship was built on equal collaboration and marked by success and mutual support."

Reuters has contacted Papadakis for comment.

Cizeron teamed up with Fournier Beaudry, who previously competed for Canada with Nikolaj Sorensen, last March. Fournier Beaudry received her French citizenship in November, paving the way to Olympic eligibility.

They won their two grand prix competitions this season, and finished second behind Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates at the grand prix final last month.

They are expected to challenge Chock and Bates for gold at the Milano Cortina Olympics, which open on February 7.

The rhythm dance at the European Championships is Saturday, followed by the free dance on Sunday.

Since her retirement, Papadakis has worked as a broadcaster at figure skating events. She is also a big proponent of permitting same-sex teams to compete in ice dance.

She and American Madison Hubbell have skated together in exhibitions in a bid to help pave the way for same-sex pairs to compete officially.