Madison Chock and Evan Bates Olympic result made final as US Figure Skating responds to scoring backlash

The debate around Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ Olympic result is now officially settled. U.S. Figure Skating has confirmed it will not appeal the ice dance scores from the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics, even after strong reactions from fans and analysts. The American pair delivered a clean free dance and finished with 224.39 points, but France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron won gold with 225.82. The small gap quickly turned into a bigger conversation online about judging and fairness. In a statement shared with USA TODAY Sports, U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said, “There has been a lot of thoughtful, and at times emotional, discussion about the ice dance competition in Milan.” He added that the focus now is supporting the athletes and the sport’s future instead of reopening the result. The organization confirmed the formal window to challenge scores had already passed, closing the door on any appeal. Chock and Bates entered the free dance as serious gold contenders and skated one of their best programs of the season. Their score of 134.67 in the free dance pushed them close to the top, but the French pair scored slightly higher and held their lead. Soon after, viewers pointed out small mistakes in the French routine, especially during twizzles, which led to debate about judging standards. Some judging panels showed large scoring gaps, adding to fan confusion. Still, the result is final. Under International Skating Union rules, judging decisions are hard to challenge unless there is a clear calculation error, and any protest must be made quickly. Since that deadline passed within 24 hours, U.S. Figure Skating decided not to pursue further action. For Chock and Bates, the moment was emotional. This Olympics marked their first Games as a married couple and their first individual Olympic ice dance medal after years of near misses. Chock said, “It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling at the moment.” Bates added, “We really did our best… and that’s what we came here to do.” Even without gold, they left Milan with silver and respect from fans who felt they delivered a winning performance.