Figure skating at the 2014 Winter Olympics

Lore & Background

The team event combined the four Olympic figure skating disciplines into a single event; skaters earned points based on placement in each discipline, and the gold medals were awarded to the team with the most placement points. Russia won the team event. Several record scores were set, including by Yuzuru Hanyu in the men's event, Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov in the pairs' event, and Meryl Davis and Charlie White in the ice dance event, though not all segments or total scores were world records at the time.

Reader's Guide

The 2014 Winter Olympics figure skating competition is significant for introducing the team event and for the controversies that surrounded it. The decision of the Figure Skating Federation of Russia to select Evgeni Plushenko as Russia's lone entrant in the men's event, given his age and history of surgeries, prompted criticism after Plushenko withdrew at the last moment. Controversy also arose in the women's event when an examination of scores led to accusations of judging irregularities and improprieties, particularly regarding Adelina Sotnikova's victory over Yuna Kim. Ultimately, the history of the 2014 Winter Olympics was overshadowed by the revelation that Russia had been running a state-sponsored doping program for years, including through February 2014.

Did You Know?

• The team event was a new addition to the Olympic Games in 2014.
• Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan won the men's singles gold medal.
• Adelina Sotnikova of Russia won the women's singles gold medal, prompting accusations of judging irregularities.
• Russia won the team event gold medal.