The 2026 Winter Olympics have included inspiring comebacks and undeniable grit, but also some heated controversies. Here are a few of the biggest controversies from the Games:
On Thin Ice
The French ice dancing pair, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, are under criticism for two serious reasons after winning gold.
First, the French judge Jezabel Dabouis is being accused of favoring them because she scored the American silver medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ free dance a 129.74, the lowest score among the 9-judge panel and more than 5 points lower than the average. Then she gave the French a 137.45, nearly 3 points higher than the average score of the other judges. The French pair beat the Americans by a margin of 1.43 points.
Off the ice, controversy follows both skaters. Fournier Beaudry’s boyfriend and former ice dance partner Nikolaj Sorensen was suspended in 2024 after he was accused of sexual assault of a former skater and coach in 2012. Though his six-year suspension was overturned, it remains under appeal. Fournier Beaudry shared her support in Netflix’s docuseries stating “I know my boyfriend 100 percent. I know him.”
Also, Cizeron’s former ice dance partner, Gabriella Papadakis, has accused Cizeron of being “controlling” in her 2026 memoir. Cizeron has called her claims a “smear campaign” according to people.com.
Accomplished But Unfaithful
Norwegian Biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid, took home five medals from the 2026 Winter Olympics and subsequently admitted to cheating on his girlfriend. After the moment went viral, Laegreid apologized for overshadowing Norway’s first-place finish with his admission, according to usatoday.com. The medalist then apologized to his girlfriend for discussing the relationship without consent, calling her the “gold medal” in his life. Ironically, out of the five metals Laegreid won, none were gold. His girlfriend, who has chosen to remain anonymous according to people.com, said that Laegreid would be “hard to forgive.”
“Penisgate”
First reported by German media outlets, speculation has emerged over ski jumpers injecting hyaluronic acid into their penises to enlarge them. The size of the ski jumpers’ suits impacts the amount of lift they can generate, and tangentially, the distance they jump. This claim by the German newspaper Bild has led to an investigation by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Additionally, according to usatoday.com, a prominent plastic surgeon has fueled the claim, stating that he injected a ski jumper’s penis, despite the International Ski and Snowboard Federation calling the controversy a “wild rumor.”
A Debated Disqualification
Vladyslav Heraskevyc, one of the fastest skeleton racers in the world, is proudly Ukrainian. After four years of war with Russia, Heraskevyc wanted to honor and memorialize fallen Ukrainian athletes by wearing a custom helmet showcasing their portraits. The International Olympic Committee disqualified Heraskevyc, stating the field of play must remain neutral, except for black armbands, to protest political events.
Heraskevyc responded via Instagram, “The memory of fallen athletes, coaches, civilians and defenders of Ukraine cannot and should not be considered a political demonstration.”
Canadians, Curling and Cheating
Tensions rose during a Canada–Sweden match when Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson accused Canada’s Marc Kennedy of double-touching a stone, sparking a heated exchange. Under World Curling rules, a player cannot touch the handle after the hog line, or the stone during forward motion, or else the stone is removed from play. Though Eriksson claimed to have evidence, replays cannot overturn in-game decisions. The next day, Canada’s women’s team was penalized for the same violation.
Politics on the Podium
The U.S. mens and womens hockey teams both struck gold in Milan, but the celebration quickly turned political.
USA Hockey faced backlash after FBI Director Kash Patel celebrated with the men’s team in the locker room. Recently, he has been criticized for his handling of the Epstein investigation, raising concerns about the optics of his presence at the Olympic Games.
President Donald Trump then invited the team to his State of the Union address, joking that if he didn’t invite the women’s team too, he’d “be impeached.” Laughter rang out in the locker room at the comment, sparking backlash online. The women’s team ultimately declined the invitation due to prior commitments, while 20 out of 25 men attended.
What began as a unifying Olympic moment quickly became another crack in America’s political divide.