Figure skating may look graceful on the ice, but behind its polished performances, a disturbing reality has come to light in Switzerland. And European champion Lukas Britschgi is no longer willing to stay silent about it.

The 28-year-old Swiss star has spoken out after a fellow figure skater received a three-year suspension for sexually and psychologically abusing his underage ice dance partner. While Britschgi admits he has not examined the case in detail, the revelations have clearly struck a nerve. For him, exposing such behavior is only the first step. The sport must do far more to prevent it from happening again.

Speaking about the scandal, Britschgi did not hide his disappointment. “Of course, when you hear about something like this, you talk about it. Unfortunately, it’s not just a common issue in our sport, but now it’s hitting our own scene again. I find that incredibly disappointing, considering how much work we’ve invested.”

He also welcomed the role of Swiss Sport Integrity (SSI), the independent body responsible for receiving and investigating reports of misconduct in Swiss sport. However, he believes the organization’s work must be accompanied by greater awareness across the sporting community.

“Fortunately, we now have this body. But I believe the work is far from over. We are still at the beginning. We have a lot more work to do, especially in raising awareness and communication,” he said.

For Britschgi, the conversation goes beyond one disciplinary case. As a singles skater, he has never experienced the particular dynamics of ice dance or pairs skating, where athletes work in constant physical contact and depend heavily on one another. He acknowledged that he was fortunate not to have faced a similar situation himself.

Still, that distance has not stopped him from questioning the culture surrounding the sport. “You hear about things like this all the time. The big question that we as a society must ask ourselves is: Where are the limits? What goes too far?” And when asked why such incidents continue despite growing awareness, Britschgi offered an unusually blunt response: “I don’t know why. Maybe because we’re just too stupid. Especially the men.”

The comments come after the Swiss Sports Tribunal handed down its ruling in October 2026. The case began in September 2024, when the ethics reporting center received a complaint alleging that a minor figure skater had suffered repeated sexual assaults from her ice dance partner. SSI launched an investigation, imposed preliminary measures, and submitted its findings to the tribunal in December 2025.

Following a hearing in June 2026, the tribunal found the accused guilty of multiple violations of the Code of Ethics. It considered the young athlete’s statements credible and established that her sexual integrity had been violated through unwanted physical contact, sexual harassment, coercion into sexual acts, and other inappropriate conduct. The skater had also faced humiliation and shouting on the ice in front of others.

The ruling carries a three-year suspension. During that period, the convicted athlete cannot compete in pair figure skating or coach, mentor, or assist any underage athlete, regardless of gender. He must also complete at least 20 hours of behavioral coaching and pay 5,000 Swiss francs in legal costs.

Having spent years building his reputation on the ice, Britschgi knows firsthand what the sport can demand from its athletes. His own journey, however, has been defined by a very different set of challenges

Lukas Britschgi’s rise to the European figure skating throne

Britschgi’s reaction carries weight in a sport where he has steadily built his own place in Swiss history. The six-time national champion became the first Swiss man since 1947 to win the European Championships when he claimed the title in 2025. He had already earned European bronze in 2023 and collected medals across the Grand Prix and Challenger Series circuits.

Yet the breakthrough came as a surprise even to him. “I definitely didn’t expect it,” he admitted, pointing to the presence of France’s Adam Siao Him Fa and describing the victory as a special moment. While mistakes from rivals helped create an opening, Britschgi credited his own consistency. Delivering when it mattered, he said, showed him that “consistency pays off.”

The journey to that achievement was not straightforward. A lingering injury disrupted his training during the following season, leaving him struggling to meet the expectations he had set for himself. “The worst thing is my own expectations is for sure the toughest one,” he explained, adding that learning to manage the mental pressure became essential.

That experience has also shaped how he approaches the sport now. Rather than allowing the European title to become another burden, Britschgi wants to enjoy competing while continuing to improve. His ambitions remain high: another European podium and a top-eight finish at both the Olympics and World Championships.

He has competed in two Olympic Games, finishing 23rd at Beijing 2022 before improving to 14th at Milano Cortina 2026. And while comparisons with Swiss great Stéphane Lambiel are inevitable, Britschgi has always been clear about the influence the former world champion had on him. As a child, he watched Lambiel compete and even woke up at 3 a.m. to catch his performances.

But Britschgi is now carving out his own legacy. And with his latest comments, he has made it clear that protecting the sport’s future matters just as much as its achievements on the ice.