Canadian figure skater Laurence Fournier Beaudry became emotional in a new Netflix documentary as she recounted her experience following sexual assault accusations against her former ice dance partner and boyfriend, Nikolaj Sørensen.
Fournier Beaudry, aged 33 and hailing from Montreal, addresses the allegations in Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing, a docuseries scheduled for release on February 1.
The docuseries, comprised of three parts, focuses on three top ice dancing teams preparing for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympic Games in February, one of which includes Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron from France.
In the first episode, Fournier Beaudry expressed her emotional turmoil, stating, “I never really discussed publicly the extent of the damage it caused. I don’t even want to revisit the emotions I felt during those moments because I believed I was strong and could handle everything. It just felt like being caught in the crossfire.”
In the realm of ice dance and pairs, it’s common to switch national representation due to limited partnership options. Fournier Beaudry partnered with Cizeron last year after Sørensen was banned for six years in October 2024 following allegations of sexual misconduct. This led Fournier Beaudry to obtain French citizenship in November.
The suspension stemmed from an investigation by the now-defunct Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) into allegations that Sørensen sexually assaulted an American figure skating coach and former skater in Hartford, Connecticut, in 2012.
“When they decided to suspend him, it meant that his career was over, which also meant that my career was over,” expressed Fournier Beaudry, who has staunchly supported her boyfriend since the allegations came to light in January 2024.
She added, “This was incredibly tough because it wasn’t just about skating; it was about our integrity. I know my boyfriend completely. We stood together in strength.”
An arbitrator at the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) overturned the suspension in June citing jurisdictional complications, as Sørensen was not a Canadian citizen nor competing for Skate Canada at the time of the alleged incident.
Allegation yet to be tested in court
The Netflix documentary mentioned that the arbitrator’s decision is currently under appeal as of the production conclusion. As per its disclosure policy, the SDRCC refrains from commenting on or providing details about cases not within its jurisdiction, ongoing cases, or cases resolved through mediation.
Sørensen has denied the accusations, which have not been subject to legal scrutiny.
Fournier Beaudry shared in the docuseries that she and Sørensen skated together for 13 seasons and have been in a relationship for 12 years. The couple initially represented Denmark, Sørensen’s birth country, before switching to Canada when Fournier Beaudry couldn’t acquire Danish citizenship before the 2018 Olympics.
They participated in the 2022 Winter Games, secured a national title in 2023, and clinched fifth place at the 2023 world championships while representing Canada.