World medal loss 'formally challenged' as Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear miss out due to 'illegal' lift
The pair finished in fourth position
British Ice Skating is “formally challenging” the results of the World Figure Skating Championships ice dance final as Scottish skater Lewis Gibson and partner Lilah Fear missed out on a second World medal by less than a fifth of a point - after having two points deducted for an “illegal element”.
The skating federation said it would raise its concerns over the “incorrect” penalty with the International Skating Union (ISU) and also said it would call for a “full and independent review of the officiating process”.
Other skaters raised concerns over the judging process in the ice dance event earlier this season.
Gibson and Fear came in fourth place behind Americans Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik at the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague after receiving the deduction from judges.
Details of the violation were not given, however it is believed to relate to the height of an overhead lift - the same issue which cost Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean a gold Winter Olympic Games medal in 1994.
The ice skating federation said it was “extremely proud” of Fear and Gibson and warned it did not believe its principles of “fairness, clarity, and transparency in sport” had been upheld at the championships.
An insider said the situation was “under review”. It is understood the technical panel, which analyses elements performed in routines, had already held a meeting with the team within an hour of the competition to discuss the penalty.
It is understood BIS is looking for clarity around why the lift, which has been part of Fear and Gibson’s routine all season without issue, has been penalised.
Performing to their medley of Scottish music including I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers and dressed in tartan costumes for the final time, Fear and Gibson scored 123.89 in the free dance, giving them an overall score of 208.98. Zingas and Kolesnik scored 209.20 overall.
A statement from BIS said: “Following the ice dance event, a deduction was applied which resulted in Lilah and Lewis moving to fourth place. We believe this deduction was applied incorrectly and does not accurately reflect the performance delivered on the ice.
“As an organisation, British Ice Skating stands for fairness, clarity, and transparency in sport. In this instance, we do not believe those principles have been upheld. All athletes deserve to be judged with consistency, integrity, and transparency at the highest level of competition.”
It added: “We are formally challenging this decision and will be raising our concerns with the International Skating Union. We are also calling for a full and independent review of the officiating process to ensure accountability and fairness for all athletes.”
BIS President Pam Aguss said: "We have full confidence that the ISU will investigate this matter fully, and that any findings will lead to meaningful action to ensure that no athlete-regardless of their nation or status - is let down in this way again.
“Lilah and Lewis consistently deliver performances of the highest international standard and are rightfully recognised among the very best in the world. To see that not accurately recognised at this event in, what we see, as a clear error is incredibly difficult - not just for them, but for everyone who believes in this sport.”
She added: “They have our complete and unwavering support. What they achieved on the ice in Prague, and throughout their careers, is exceptional- and no decision can take that away."
Fear and Gibson have not commented on the situation and chose not to speak to reporters in the mixed zone at the championships after their skate.
Speaking to journalists on the first day of the competition, Gibson and Fear vowed to continue skating for another four years to compete in the next Winter Olympic Games in France .
The pair, who won bronze at last year’s World Championships - becoming the first British skaters to do so since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in 1984 - said they were not considering retirement after this season, which finished on Saturday night with the ice dance final in Prague.
Earlier, Fear, 26, told journalists they were “definitely doing the quad [next Olympic cycle]”.
She said: “For us, it's a fresh energy, a new quad, new ideas, new layers of partnership, performance, and athleticism. It feels like a blank slate and it's really exciting. I love starting the new year.
“When I was younger, I always had this timeline in mind that I'd probably be retired by that point. I could never imagine, but it feels like we're just getting started.”
Gibson, 31, added: “Our partnership has been long. But then, ten years doesn't seem that long, and it's not that long in the scope of things.
“I feel like we have so much to learn, just from where we both started in ice dance, for example, a great new dance we'll learn next season. And we're never really repeating ourselves, which is a nice feeling to have, to always be moving forward.”
Fear and Gibson, from Prestwick, lay in the bronze medal position after the rhythm dance, but finished fourth, behind Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France in first with 230.81 points overall and Piper Gillies and Paul Poirier of Canada in second with 211.52.
The pair suffered a disappointment at the Winter Olympic Games last month when they slipped from fourth in the rhythm dance to seventh place after a mistake on a twizzle element.
Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez, also of Great Britain, finished the ice dance competition in 16th place.
Some other ice dance couples are expected to retire following the Olympic season, including Olympic silver medallists Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Others, including Gillies and Poirier and Italian European medallists Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri, had been expected to consider stepping down, but have hinted they could continue into next season.
This year’s ice dance season has seen controversy and upset in the field following the pairing of Fournier-Beaudry and Cizeron, who previously skated with other partners.
Meanwhile, “Quad God” Ilia Malinin from the US won his third world title in the men’s competition, scoring 218.11 in the free skate and 329.4 overall. He completed five quad jumps in his programme.
Japanese skaters Yumi Kagiyama and Shun Sato came in second and third respectively.
Malinin’s win came after a disastrous Winter Olympic Games, when he fell twice and slipped into eighth place.
The International Skating Union (ISU) has been contacted for comment.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.