Who is Gabriella Papadakis? NBC drops Olympic ice dancer from Winter Games coverage after feud with ex-partner Guillaume Cizeron

Gabriella Papadakis, the retired French Olympic ice dancer, has been removed from NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage team. NBC confirmed the decision on Thursday, January 16, 2026, just hours after Papadakis released her new memoir in France. The book includes serious claims about her former skating partner, Guillaume Cizeron.NBC said the book created a “conflict of interest.” Because of that, the network decided Papadakis would no longer appear as an on-air analyst for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics. She had been working with NBC Sports since January 2025 and was already listed for next month’s coverage before her name was taken off the roster.NBC shared its decision in a statement given to Sportico. The network said it respects Gabriella Papadakis but must protect the trust of its viewers.“We respect Gabriella’s right to tell the story of her life and career,” NBC said. “At the same time, her new book creates a clear conflict of interest. Our responsibility is to deliver coverage our audience can trust to be free of bias, and we regret that is no longer possible.”Papadakis released her memoir, Pour ne pas disparaître (So as Not to Disappear), on Thursday in France. In the book, she describes her time skating with Guillaume Cizeron as painful. She claims he was “controlling,” “demanding,” and often “critical.” She also wrote that she sometimes refused to skate with him because she felt she was “under his grip.”NBC had earlier announced a team of 82 broadcasters and analysts for its Winter Olympics coverage. Papadakis was included. After the book came out, her name was removed from the list.Papadakis also shared deeply personal stories in the book. She spoke about emotional struggles, sexual assaults, and her experience with abortion during her younger years.Guillaume Cizeron responded soon after the book’s release. In a public statement, he strongly denied the claims and called the book a “smear campaign.”“I want to express my incomprehension and disagreement with the labels attributed to me,” Cizeron said. “The book contains false information and statements I have never made.”He also confirmed he has asked his lawyers to step in and formally warn people to stop spreading what he called false claims.The 31-year-old is now preparing for the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he is expected to skate with his new partner, Laurence Fournier Beaudry.“For more than 20 years, I have shown deep respect for Gabriella Papadakis,” Cizeron added. “Despite changes in our relationship, our journey included success and support.” Papadakis and Cizeron ended their partnership in December 2024. Together, they became one of the most decorated ice dance teams ever, winning Olympic gold and silver, five World Championships, five European titles, and two Grand Prix Finals, while also setting records at the Beijing Winter Olympics.