MILAN — After a controversial ice dance finish at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Madison Chock and Evan Bates said they believe it’s not good for figure skating when fans don’t understand the results.
“Any time the public is confused by results, it does a disservice to our sport,” Chock said on Thursday, one day after settling for the silver medal behind the French team of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, stirring sharp reaction from American fans.
“It's hard to retain fans when it's difficult to understand what is happening on the ice. I think there needs to be a lot more clarity for the skaters, for the coaches and for the audience, in order to just have a solid fan base moving forward. People need to understand what they're cheering for and be able to feel confident in the sport that they're supporting.”
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Fans and fellow figure skaters have voiced support for Chock and Bates, arguging they delivered a flawless free dance while Beaudry and Cizeron weren’t as clean. Still, the French duo went on to earn a better score and secure gold.
