Controversy Surrounds Figure Skating Scoring at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The figure skating events at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan have come under intense scrutiny due to allegations of biased judging. A report by Sportico highlighted that out of 36 judges for the short program, 30 favored skaters from their own countries, awarding them an average of 1.93 points higher than competitors from other nations. In the long program, 25 of 29 judges exhibited similar bias, granting an additional 3.34 points to home-country skaters. The report noted that in 100 instances where a judge from a skater's country scored their performance, nearly half (49%) awarded their best or second-best score, while only 5% gave their worst or second-worst score. This discrepancy raises questions about the integrity of the judging process.

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Several specific incidents have fueled the ongoing debate. During the women's singles competition, American skater Amber Glenn, who finished fifth, faced criticism after Kazakhstan's judge awarded top marks to Individual Neutral Athlete Adeliia Petrosian, despite no other judge ranking her higher than fifth. This decision led to significant backlash on social media, with fans questioning the fairness of the judging system.

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In ice dancing, American duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates won silver, but many observers believed their performance was superior to that of the gold medalists, French pair Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron. Chock and Bates chose not to appeal the decision, despite widespread agreement among fans and commentators that they deserved gold.

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An International Skating Union spokesperson acknowledged the normalcy of score variations among judges, stating, “To mitigate these variations and ensure fairness, several mechanisms are in place.” However, this response has not quelled the criticism. NBC snowboarding analyst Todd Richards labeled the judging in the women's snowboard slopestyle event as the "worst" he had ever seen, demanding an apology for the athletes involved.

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While many observers agree on the presence of bias in judging, there are conflicting opinions regarding the severity and implications of these discrepancies. Some argue that the judging issues are systemic and require immediate reform, while others believe they are isolated incidents that do not reflect the overall integrity of the Olympics.

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• “That was the worst judging I’ve ever seen at an event ever,” — Todd Richards, NBC Snowboarding Analyst

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• “I can accept an unofficial two per country rule (though ouch mone, again) but this is ridiculous.” — Anonymous fan comment on social media

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The controversies surrounding figure skating scoring at the 2026 Winter Olympics highlight significant challenges within the sport, raising questions about fairness and the need for reform in judging practices. As the Olympics continue, the scrutiny on figure skating is likely to persist, with calls for greater transparency and accountability in the scoring process.

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