Olympic ice dancing champion Guillaume Cizeron has accused former partner Gabriella Papadakis of spreading false information about him in a “smear campaign”.
Cizeron, who won gold with Pakadakis for France at the 2022 Winter Olympics, says she has published “defamatory statements” about him in a new book which is set to be released on Thursday.
In excerpts published by French media, Pakadakis describes an “unbalanced” relationship with Cizeron where she felt “under his grip” and accuses him of being “controlling” and “demanding”.
The pair first teamed up as children and are among the most decorated figure skaters in history, winning five World Championship titles alongside their Olympic gold in Beijing and silver in PyeongChang four years prior.
“In the face of this smear campaign, I want to express my incomprehension and disagreement with the labels attributed to me,” said 31-year-old Cizeron.
“The book contains false information, including statements I never made, which I consider serious.”
Cizeron added that he has instructed his lawyers to demand an immediate halt to Papadakis’ 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.”
In 2022 Cizeron and Papadakis, 30, announced they would be taking a break from the sport before ending their partnership two years later.
Cizeron is competing at the European Championships in Sheffield this week with new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry before next month’s Winter Olympics in Milan.
Related topics
- Winter Sports
- Figure Skating
Source: BBC
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