U.S. News
Olympic Skaters Raise Fairness Questions After Silver

Clear Facts
- Madison Chock and Evan Bates earned a silver medal in ice dancing at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing behind France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron.
- Chock and Bates have publicly questioned the transparency and fairness of the judges’ scoring, with discussions ongoing about a possible appeal.
- Both athletes emphasized delivering their best performance and called for improved vetting and review of Olympic judges.
US figure skating pair Madison Chock and Evan Bates narrowly missed gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing second to the French team after a controversial judging decision.
Social media users and fans have raised concerns over a French judge’s higher scores for Beaudry and Cizeron, which played a role in determining the outcome.
Chock addressed the appeal possibility, “I suppose we would consider it. I think skating is such a subjective sport, but I do think that for fairness it is good when the judges are reviewed for their work. Not just after this competition but every competition to just make sure there’s a fair and even playing field for all athletes.”
The pair performed their matador routine to a rendition of “Paint It, Black,” earning cheers from the audience and finishing with a score of 224.39.
Bates remarked on the team’s efforts, stating, “We did everything we could. We wouldn’t have changed a single thing about our performance – or any of our performances or how we approached the week. We’re super proud of the work that we put in – we left no stone unturned, so we can leave the Games feeling satisfied and accomplished with ourselves.”
While Chock and Bates celebrated their performance, their silver medal fell just short of the gold, as the French pair scored 225.82 in total.
Chock continued to push for transparency, telling CBS News, “It would definitely be helpful if it’s more understandable for the viewers, to just see more transparent judging and understand … what’s really going on.”
She added, “I think it’s also important for the skaters, that the judges be vetted and reviewed to make sure that they are also putting out their best performance, because there’s a lot on the line for the skaters when they’re out there giving it their all, and we deserve to have the judges also giving us their all and for it to be a fair and even playing field.”
Bates shared his view, “We felt like we delivered our absolute best performance that we could have. It was our Olympic moment. It felt like a winning skate to us, and that’s what we’re going to hold on to.”
Bates expressed gratitude for the support from American fans, “It means a lot that people are voicing their opinions on our behalf. The way that we skated and the way that we’ve approached chasing these goals, hopefully has resonated with people at home even in our response. I think hopefully that, too, can reflect the Olympic spirit.”
Chock and Bates’ comments highlight growing calls for accountability and fairness in Olympic judging, echoing values of transparency and integrity in competition.
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