Olympic ice dance champion Gabriella Papadakis has revealed that she lost her commentary role with NBC for the upcoming Winter Olympics due to her former partner’s reaction to her newly released book. In an interview with the French sports daily L’Équipe, Papadakis stated that the decision followed Guillaume Cizeron contesting the claims made in her book, titled “So as Not to Disappear,” which debuted this week.
Cizeron took legal action on Tuesday, instructing his lawyers to formally notify all parties involved to cease the “dissemination of defamatory statements” regarding him. Papadakis shared her dismay over the situation, explaining that NBC concluded her neutrality was compromised in light of Cizeron’s public statement. “To my knowledge, in reaction to Guillaume filing a formal notice, which was made public, they considered that the perception of my neutrality was compromised,” she told L’Équipe. “I’m not dealing with it very well, I’ve cried a lot. I was super disappointed because I was just beginning that career as a commentator.”
At 30 years old, Papadakis, who recently retired in December 2024, expressed her frustration over losing an opportunity to launch a new career. “I understand NBC’s position but, yes, I’m experiencing a feeling of injustice,” she remarked.
In her book, Papadakis details her struggles in what she describes as a deeply unbalanced relationship with Cizeron. The pair achieved remarkable success together, including setting a world record during their gold medal performance at the 2022 Beijing Games. Papadakis describes feeling “terrified” at the thought of being alone with Cizeron and characterizes him as a “controlling” partner, often feeling “under his grip.”
Reflecting on their partnership, she noted, “As long as I took a backseat role while Guillaume was the leader, everything went well. It’s when I wanted to be an equal in this relationship that things started to become more and more difficult.” Together, Papadakis and Cizeron won an Olympic silver medal, five world championships, five European Championships, and the Grand Prix Final twice.
Cizeron responded to the situation on Tuesday, asserting that Papadakis was spreading lies about him in the lead-up to the February 6-22, 2026, Milan Cortina Winter Games. “In the face of the smear campaign targeting me, I want to express my incomprehension and my disagreement with the labels being attributed to me,” he stated. Cizeron also criticized the timing of the book’s release, implying that it could affect his Olympic ambitions. He claimed that the book contains false information, including statements he never made, and described his relationship with Papadakis as one marked by “deep respect” and “moments of success and mutual support.”
Papadakis countered claims about the timing of the book’s publication, asserting that the release date had been planned well in advance of Cizeron’s announcement regarding his participation with a new partner, Laurence Fournier Beaudry. Fournier Beaudry, who previously competed for Canada, recently gained French citizenship, allowing them to compete together at the Olympics.
As this unfolding situation continues to draw attention, both athletes are set to face significant challenges ahead, with the Winter Olympics fast approaching and the stakes higher than ever.
