Gabriella Papadakis and Madison Hubbell, Olympic ice dancing champions, will pair up as a same-sex couple to perform at the ‘Art On Ice’, a figure skating gala, the duo announced on Saturday.
The retired Frenchwoman and the American will feature at the gala which takes place across Switzerland in February.
Papadakis, 29, said that this “world first” aimed to “show that our sport can be more inclusive, more modern and more courageous”.
“We also want to break with certain stereotypes around expectations towards women in sport: to always be feminine, frail, even fragile.”
“We also want to break with certain stereotypes around expectations towards women in sport: to always be feminine, frail, even fragile,” the 33-year-old American said.
According to its producer, Oliver Honer, the gala focuses on “the inner journey of every human being,” adding that he hopes it will trigger “a small revolution in the world of figure skating.”
Papadakis and her partner Guillaume Cizeron announced their retirement earlier this month, after clinching a gold and one silver medal at the Winter Olympic Games. The also won five World titles.
Hubbell and partner Zachary Donohue, three-time world silver medallists, won a bronze in Beijing 2022 Winter Games.