“Each time, bonds are formed with the federations, with the people who support us. It’s an honor to represent another country. I’m truly grateful that France trusts me to bring home medals.” Laurence Fournier Beaudry has been granted French citizenship
Laurence Fournier Beaudry has been granted French citizenship, allowing her to compete with Guillaume Cizeron at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
original source: lequipe.fr dd. November 8th 2025 by Celine Novy
The decree announcing the naturalization of Laurence Fournier Beaudry was published in the Official Journal on November 4. Here’s a translation of comments posted on L’Equipe.
“That’s it, I’m French!” exclaimed the 33-year-old. “We were on the ice, and during a break, I received the email. It’s really great!”
Laurence Fournier Beaudry recounted how she was sitting, her legs bouncing with excitement “I read the message aloud to Guillaume. He was smiling a lot… I still can’t quite believe it, but I’m really happy. I can’t wait to have the physical passport.”
“It wasn’t a source of stress.” “We were well supported, I knew I had submitted my application with all the documents,” she added. “The federation was really behind us, as they have been since the start of our partnership. We did everything we needed to do. I had a very positive feeling, but there’s always a little voice: what if it doesn’t happen? It wasn’t stressful, but there was a small doubt in the back of my mind.”
Beyond the months and weeks leading up to the Winter Olympics, she cannot forget that at the start of her international career, she represented Denmark, the country of her former partner Nikolaj Sorensen, but was not naturalized before the 2018 Games. “I missed the Olympics because of that. It was one of the difficult challenges to overcome,” she admitted. “When you know you’re among the best and have the potential to go to the Games, it’s very frustrating.”
To fulfill this ultimate dream for any athlete, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and her partner chose Canada, allowing them to compete at the Beijing Olympics in 2022 (9th place). Now, she will compete for a third nation, never having considered skating for Canada. “Guillaume had already won two Olympic medals, so it was a one-way decision as soon as we teamed up,” she said.
Her new colors already mean a lot to her. “Each time, bonds are formed with the federations, with the people who support us. It’s an honor to represent another country, and I approach it with great respect,” Fournier Beaudry emphasized. “I’m truly grateful that France trusts me to bring them medals.”,” Fournier Beaudry emphasized. “I’m truly grateful that France trusts me to bring them medals.” And this nation is not foreign to her: “I have a lot of family living in France, I’ve spent vacations there because my grandfather lives in France. There’s the language too… It’s as if it brings me closer to my roots.”
She knows, of course, that this naturalization will offer her new opportunities. “After my athletic career, I don’t know exactly where I want to live or what I want to do, but it brings me closer to Europe and opens doors for the future. With Guillaume, we’d like to hold seminars, share our passion, and pass on the tools we’ve learned to train future champions.” In the coming weeks, Fournier Beaudry will visit the French consulate in Canada to apply for her passport.
Related topics: Guillaume Cizeron, Laurence Fournier Beaudry
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