Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, the reigning Olympic and world ice dance champions, will sit out the upcoming figure skating season. Their competitive future beyond that is unclear.
A representative for the 27-year-old skaters confirmed the news first reported by French media on Monday.
“The only thing we’re sure about is that we won’t do next season,” Papadakis said, according to Agence France-Presse. “For everything else, all the doors are still open.”
Papadakis and Cizeron are five-time world champions who have one defeat in the last four years and haven’t finished worse than second in seven years. Before this past season, they knew it might be their last, according to L’Equipe.
Papadakis said it wasn’t a difficult decision to take a break. Cizeron said they will rest and perform in non-competitive shows and tours, according to AFP.
As of now, none of the Olympic ice dance medalists from February are in line to compete.
Silver medalists Viktoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov are from Russia. All Russian skaters are banned indefinitely from competition due to the nation’s invasion of Ukraine.
American bronze medalists Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue retired after taking silver at March’s worlds behind the French.
Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who were fourth at the Olympics and third at worlds, announced their engagement last week. They are expected to continue competing.
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