Sarah Abitbol
Abitbol and partner Stéphane Bernadis compete in 2001.
Born (1975-06-08) 8 June 1975
Nantes, France
Height1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
Figure skating career
CountryFrance
PartnerStéphane Bernadis
Skating clubFrancais Volants Paris
Began skating1982
Retired2003
Medal record
Representing  France
Figure skating: Pairs
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2000 NicePairs
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2003 MalmöPairs
Silver medal – second place 2002 LausannePairs
Bronze medal – third place 2001 BratislavaPairs
Bronze medal – third place 2000 ViennaPairs
Bronze medal – third place 1999 PraguePairs
Bronze medal – third place 1998 MilanPairs
Bronze medal – third place 1996 SofiaPairs
Grand Prix Final
Silver medal – second place 1999–2000 LyonPairs

Sarah Abitbol (born 8 June 1975) is a French former competitive pair skater. With skating partner Stéphane Bernadis, she is the 2000 World bronze medalist, the 2000 Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a seven-time European medalist (two silver and five bronze medals), and a ten-time French national champion.

Early life and career

Born in Nantes, France, Abitbol began skating at the age of six, choosing skating over swimming. She initially took lessons and practiced in that area.[1] In 1992, at the age of 17, she teamed up with Stéphane Bernadis to compete in pair skating.[1] Abitbol/Bernadis were coached by Jean-Roland Racle early in their career, followed by Stanislav Leonovich in Paris.[2]

At the 2000 World Championships in Nice, France, Bernadis said he was attacked by an unknown assailant with a razor on 28 March when he opened his hotel room door. He suffered an eight-inch cut down his left forearm.[3][4][5] Bernadis said he had received a death threat three weeks earlier.[6] At the event, he and Abitbol won the bronze medal, becoming the first French pair skaters to win a World medal since 1932, when Andrée Brunet / Pierre Brunet won gold in this competition.[7]

When Bernadis became injured after performing the short program, the pair had to withdraw from the 2001 World Championships.[8] They qualified for the 2002 Olympics by winning the 2001 Golden Spin of Zagreb.[8] Abitbol/Bernadis withdrew from the 2002 Olympics after Abitbol's Achilles tendon ruptured in practice; she underwent surgery and was off the ice for six months.[7][9] After the 2003 European Championships, the pair changed coaches, moving to Jean-Christophe Simond.[7]

Abitbol/Bernadis worked on throw triple Axels.[7]

Personal life

Abitbol married Jean-Louis Lacaille in 2009.[10][11] Their daughter, Stella, was born in June 2011.[12]

In January 2020, Abitbol published a memoir, Such A Long Silence (Un si long silence). In it, she accused her former singles coach Gilles Beyer of sexual assault, stating it began in 1990 when she was 15 and continued over a period of two years. This triggered a scandal that led to the resignation that year of FFSG president Didier Gailhaguet over his alleged covering up of past allegations against Beyer, in addition to cover ups of other cases.[13]

While the assaults reported by Abitbol occurred outside the time limits of the statutes of limitations, Beyer was subsequently charged with sexual assault and harassment in cases relating to six other students who came forward with allegations of more recent events.[14] In addition, Sports Minister Roxana Mărăcineanu ordered a broader investigation of the prevalence of sexual abuse in French sports culture. This concluded with reports of misconduct by more than 400 individuals.[15]

Programs

(with Bernadis)

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2002–2003
[7]
2001–2002
[8][16]
  • The Addams Family
    by Marc Shaiman
  • Egyptian
2000–2001
[2]
  • Ninja
    by Maxime Rodriguez
  • Tristan & Iseult
    by Maxime Rodriguez
1999–2000
  • El Conquistador
    by Maxime Rodriguez
  • Ange et Démon
    (Angel And The Devil)
    by Maxime Rodriguez
  • La Sirène
    by Maxime Rodriguez
1998–1999
  • El Conquistador
    by Maxime Rodriguez
1997–1998
  • Ultra Techno
    by Kevin B
1996–1997
[1]
  • Classical
1995–1996
1994-1995
1993-1994
  • Dancing Men Terminator
    by Kevin B

Results

with Bernadis

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

International[17]
Event 92–93 93–94 94–95 95–96 96–97 97–98 98–99 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03
Winter Olympics6thWD
World Champ.19th9th11th7th8th5th3rdWD12th
European Champ.14th15th7th3rd4th3rd3rd3rd3rd2nd2nd
GP Final4th2nd5th6th
GP Cup of Russia3rd
GP Int. Paris /
Troph. France/Lalique		7th8th6th7th4th5th1st1st4th3rd2nd
GP Nations/Spark.7th9th1st
GP NHK Trophy2nd2nd
GP Skate America10th6th2nd
GP Skate Canada3rd5th3rd
Golden Spin1st
Japan Open2nd
Nebelhorn Trophy3rd
Skate Israel1st
National[17]
French Champ.2nd1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st
WD = Withdrew

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mittan, J. Barry (1996). "Sarah Abitbol and Stephane Bernadis". Archived from the original on 14 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ↑ "French skater attacked in hotel". Deseret News. 28 March 2000. Archived from the original on 21 November 2012.
  4. ↑ "A problem-plagued championship". ESPN. Associated Press. 29 March 2000. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008.
  5. ↑ Froissart, Lionel (30 March 2000). "Patinage artistique. Malgré l'agression de Stéphane Bernadis, le couple français est troisième des championnats du monde. Les coups volent bas derrière la glace" [Figure skating. Despite the attack on Stéphane Bernadis, the French pair are third at the World Championships.]. Libération (in French). Archived from the original on 27 March 2012.
  6. ↑ "Skater Bernadis had death threat before attack". Deseret News. Reuters. 31 March 2000. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 June 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. 1 2 3 "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ↑ Mittan, Barry (23 April 2003). "Abitbol and Bernadis Try to Be Different". GoldenSkate.
  10. ↑ "Sarah Abitbol: la jolie patineuse artistique... s'est mariée !" [Sarah Abitbol is married] (in French). purepeople.com. 3 September 2009.
  11. ↑ "Sarah Abitbol" (in French). premiere.fr. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Sarah Abitbol est maman" [Sarah Abitbol now a mother] (in French). purepeople.com. 18 June 2011.
  13. ↑ "Former French skater sparks sport's latest sexual abuse reckoning". ESPN. 17 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "Former French skating champion Abitbol 'relieved' as ex-coach Beyer charged with sex assault". France 24. 9 January 2021.
  15. ↑ Charlton, Angela (3 April 2021). "Hundreds of French sports figures accused of sexual violence". Associated Press.
  16. ↑ "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 December 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. 1 2 "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 26 January 2017.

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