Kaori Sakamoto Accuses Organizers of Cheating in Olympic Figure Skating Final, Calls Alysa Liu a “Cheater” and Faces Heavy Fine Plus 3-Year Ban

In one of the most explosive controversies to rock figure skating in recent memory, reigning Olympic champion Kaori Sakamoto launched a blistering public attack on the International Skating Union (ISU) and her rival Alysa Liu following the women’s singles final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. The Japanese star’s furious outburst, delivered in a post-competition press conference on February 20, 2026, has ignited fierce debate across the skating world, social media, and beyond.

“If they want Alysa Liu to win at all costs, then it’s better to just hand her the trophy and stop making us play these meaningless competitions,” Sakamoto declared, her voice trembling with emotion as cameras captured every word. The 25-year-old accused the judging panel and event organizers of blatant bias, claiming they deliberately ignored multiple clear errors in Liu’s free skate program while harshly penalizing her own technically flawless performance. “They deducted severe points from me for things that weren’t even mistakes, while Alysa got away with under-rotations, edge calls, and falls that should have cost her dearly.

This wasn’t judging—it was cheating.”

Sakamoto did not stop at criticizing the officials. In a moment that stunned the room into silence, she turned her ire directly toward the 21-year-old American skater. “Competing against her felt like an insult to my entire career,” she said. “She is a cheater, plain and simple. Everyone in the arena saw it. The judges just chose not to.”

The remarks came mere hours after Liu captured the gold medal with a score of 241.89, edging out Sakamoto’s silver-medal total of 238.12 in what many observers described as one of the closest and most contentious finals in Olympic history. Liu’s free program included a clean triple Axel and several difficult quadruple jumps, though slow-motion replays shared widely on social media appeared to show at least two under-rotated jumps and questionable edge calls on her triple Lutz.

Sakamoto, meanwhile, delivered what analysts widely praised as one of the most artistically mature and technically precise performances of her career—only to see her component scores and grade of execution (GOE) inexplicably lowered in several key elements.

The Japanese Skating Federation (JSF) issued a brief statement expressing “deep concern” over the judging but urged restraint. Sakamoto, however, showed no signs of backing down. In follow-up interviews with Japanese media outlets NHK and Sports Hochi, she doubled down, alleging a long-standing pattern of favoritism toward American skaters at major international events. “This isn’t the first time,” she said. “We’ve seen it at Worlds, at Grand Prix finals. When an American is in contention, the scales tip. Tonight they tipped so far that the sport looked ridiculous.”

Social media erupted almost immediately. Hashtags such as #JusticeForKaori, #FigureSkatingScandal, and #AlysaCheated trended globally within minutes. Supporters of Liu fired back, accusing Sakamoto of poor sportsmanship and sour grapes. “Kaori lost fair and square—deal with it,” one prominent American skating commentator posted on X. Others defended Sakamoto, pointing to decades of documented judging controversies in figure skating, including the 2002 Salt Lake City pairs scandal that led to major ISU reforms.

The ISU responded swiftly and decisively. On February 21, 2026, the organization announced that Sakamoto had been fined €50,000—the maximum allowable penalty under current regulations—for “conduct unbecoming an athlete” and “publicly impugning the integrity of the sport and its officials.” More shockingly, she was handed a three-year suspension from all ISU-sanctioned competitions, effective immediately. The ban would keep her out of the 2026–27 and 2027–28 Grand Prix seasons, the 2027 World Championships, and—most painfully—the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, assuming she would have still been competitive at age 29.

The punishment drew immediate backlash from Japan. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s office released a statement calling the sanction “disproportionate and damaging to the spirit of fair play.” The JSF lodged an official appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that the comments, while heated, fell within the bounds of protected free expression following what they described as a “gravely flawed” competition. Prominent former skaters, including two-time Olympic medalist Mao Asada and 2014 gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu, voiced support for Sakamoto on their personal channels, with Hanyu writing simply, “The truth will come out. Stay strong, Kaori.”

Alysa Liu, for her part, has remained largely silent. In a brief statement released through U.S. Figure Skating, she said: “I am grateful for the opportunity to compete at the highest level and proud of what I achieved in Milan-Cortina. I respect all my competitors and wish them the best moving forward.” Behind the scenes, sources close to the American team claim Liu was “deeply hurt” by the personal attack but has been advised by coaches and federation officials to avoid escalating the situation further.

The controversy has reopened old wounds in figure skating. The sport has long struggled with perceptions of subjectivity in judging, particularly after the 6.0 system was replaced by the current International Judging System (IJS) in 2004. Critics argue that the IJS, while more objective on paper, still allows significant room for manipulation through component scores and GOE awards. The 2026 Olympic final marks the latest flashpoint, coming just four years after the controversial men’s event in Beijing, where controversial scoring decisions also sparked widespread outrage.

Analysts note that Sakamoto’s ban could have far-reaching consequences. At 25, she was widely regarded as the favorite to defend her title in 2030 and potentially become one of the most decorated Japanese skaters in history. Without access to major international competitions for three years, her career trajectory faces a serious setback. Sponsorship deals with brands such as Toyota, ANA, and Lotte are reportedly under review, and her training group in Osaka has already begun discussing alternative paths, including professional shows and exhibition tours outside ISU jurisdiction.

For Liu, the gold medal remains hers, but the shadow of doubt lingers. Public opinion polls conducted by Japanese broadcaster TBS showed that 68% of respondents believed the judging was unfair, while a similar survey in the United States found 54% supporting Liu’s victory. The divide underscores the deeply nationalistic undercurrents that often accompany figure skating controversies.

As the dust settles, the skating community waits anxiously for the CAS appeal outcome, expected in late spring 2026. If the suspension is upheld, Sakamoto could face the end of her amateur career far sooner than anyone anticipated. If overturned or reduced, it could set a precedent for how athletes are allowed to voice frustration after perceived injustices.

One thing is certain: the 2026 Olympic women’s figure skating final will be remembered not for the beauty of the skating, but for the ugliness of the aftermath. In a sport built on grace and artistry, the scars of this battle may take far longer to heal than any triple Axel ever could.