Madison Chock Evan Bates respond to Olympic ice dance judging questions

Madison Chock and Evan Bates have responded to questions on judging the latest Olympic ice dancing pairs finals. Chock known as for judges to be vetted for the sake of transparency.

The couple needed to defend their gold medal, however got here second after the French duo Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron.

A French choose rated Beaudry and Cizeron greater than Chock and Bates, finally resulting in the French staff successful gold over the Individuals. The judging has been the topic of controversy on social media, with some claiming that Chock and Bates ought to have obtained the next grade.

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Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA compete in the course of the ice dancing free skate in determine skating on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Picture/Bernat Armangue)

Chock instructed CBS NewsIt might “definitely be useful if it was extra comprehensible to the viewers, to only choose extra transparently and perceive… what’s actually happening.”

“I feel it is necessary for the skaters as nicely, that the judges are vetted and assessed to verify they’re giving their greatest efficiency as nicely,” she continued, “as a result of there’s quite a bit at stake for the skaters in the event that they’re on the market giving it their all, and we deserve for the judges to provide us their all too and for it to be a good and degree taking part in subject.”

Chock’s response got here shortly after she sang a special notice when NBC Information requested him about judging.

“We have positively been by a curler coaster of feelings, particularly during the last 24 hours,” Chock instructed NBC Information. “And I feel what we are going to take away is how we felt proper after skating and the way proud we have been of what we achieved and the way we carried ourselves all week. To have 4 nice performances on the Olympics isn’t any small feat, and we’ve quite a bit to be pleased with.”

Bates instructed USA At the moment: “We felt like we had our very best efficiency that we might have. It was our Olympic second. It felt like a successful skate to us, and we will maintain on to that.”

Bates additionally praised the followers who spoke out in assist of the American couple amid the controversy.

“It means quite a bit that persons are expressing their opinions on our behalf,” Bates mentioned. “The way in which we skated and the best way we pursued these objectives, hopefully our response resonated with folks again dwelling as nicely. I feel that may hopefully mirror the Olympic spirit as nicely.”

Chock and Bates adopted the French couple by 0.46 factors within the free dance Wednesday evening, and so they have been in search of their first Olympic medal for ice dancing within the hope that it could be a transparent gold.

Their matador routine, dancing to a rendition of The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It, Black,” drew cheers from the viewers and so they ended with tears of their eyes.

They completed with 224.39 after scoring 134.67 of their free dance.

Chock and Bates are two-time staff gold winners after Staff USA’s victory on Sunday, however they’d yet another routine to see if they may seize gold when Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron stormed the ice.

However the jury dominated that the French duo did sufficient to finally beat the Individuals.

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Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA react as they noticed their scores earn them the silver medal after competing within the ice dancing free skate in determine skating on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Picture/Natacha Pisarenko)

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Beaudry and Cizeron scored a 135.64 within the free dance for a complete of 225.82.

Chock and Bates needed to expertise receiving their gold medals on the rostrum after a delayed receipt of their medals within the 2022 video games.

Chock and Bates initially needed to accept staff silver on the rostrum with their American teammates on the 2022 Olympic Video games in Beijing. Staff Russia and Kamila Valieva, who was 15 on the time, stood above them with their gold medals.

It was not till late January 2024, when the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) discovered Valieva responsible of an anti-doping rule violation, that Chock, Bates and the US have been declared the rightful 2022 gold medalists.

Valieva examined constructive for trimetazidine, a banned substance, throughout an anti-doping take a look at on the Russian Determine Skating Championships in December 2021. She was suspended for 4 years and has since been stripped of all competitors outcomes.

Chock and Bates talked about what their message to Valieva can be right now throughout an interview on the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee media summit in October.

“I feel it is laborious to think about what a 15-year-old has gone by and has to undergo in a scenario like that,” Bates mentioned. “And I understand how anxious it’s to be an elite athlete as an grownup, as a 36-year-old. And I feel grace needs to be given to folks throughout the board. And we are able to by no means actually know the complete scenario, a minimum of from our perspective. … I actually do not know what I’d say to her.”

Chock added, “I’d simply want her the perfect like I’d. I feel life is brief. And on the finish of the day, we’re all human beings simply going by our personal human expertise collectively. And no matter what somebody has or hasn’t executed and the way it has affected you, I feel it is necessary to do not forget that we’re people as a collective, and we’re all right here on the identical time for this, our solely second on earth. And I simply want for folks to have wholesome, glad lives, full of people that love them.”

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Silver medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA skate with their medals after competing within the ice dance free skate in determine skating on the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, February 11, 2026. (Francisco Seco/AP Picture)

Chock and Bates needed to wait greater than two years after the primary Olympic Video games for his or her rightful gold medals, which have been lastly awarded at a ceremony on the Paris Olympics in the summertime of 2024.

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