Sarah Abitbol

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. In 1992, at the age of 17, she teamed up with Stéphane Bernadis to compete in pair skating. Abitbol/Bernadis were coached by Jean-Roland Racle early in their career, followed by Stanislav Leonovich in Paris.

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. Bernadis said he had received a death threat three weeks earlier. 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.

When Bernadis became injured after performing the short program, the pair had to withdraw from the 2001 World Championships. They qualified for the 2002 Olympics by winning the 2001 Golden Spin of Zagreb. 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. After the 2003 European Championships, the pair changed coaches, moving to Jean-Christophe Simond.

Abitbol/Bernadis worked on throw triple Axels.

Abitbol married Jean-Louis Lacaille in 2009. Their daughter, Stella, was born in June 2011.

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.

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. 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.

(with Bernadis)

;with Bernadis

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

• List of select Jewish figure skaters

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web |url= http://figureskating.sportresult.com/Bios/FRA/2016/0/51700/MEN/TO/513 |title= Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS |publisher=International Skating Union |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170126214101/http://figureskating.sportresult.com/Bios/FRA/2016/0/51700/MEN/TO/513 |archive-date= 26 January 2017 |url-status= dead }}

{{cite web |url= http://www.icecalc.de/isu/bios/isufs00000513.htm |title= Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2000/2001 |publisher=International Skating Union |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20010419021058/http://www.icecalc.de/isu/bios/isufs00000513.htm |archive-date= 19 April 2001 |url-status= unfit }}

{{cite web |url= http://www.icecalc.de/isu/bios/isufs00000513.htm |title= Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2001/2002 |publisher=International Skating Union |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20011224022447/http://www.icecalc.de/isu/bios/isufs00000513.htm |archive-date= 24 December 2001 |url-status= unfit }}

{{cite web |url= http://www.icecalc.de/isu/bios/isufs00000513.htm |title= Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2001/2002 |publisher=International Skating Union |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20020602045334/http://www.icecalc.de/isu/bios/isufs00000513.htm |archive-date= 2 June 2002 |url-status= unfit }}

{{cite web |url= http://www.icecalc.de/isu/bios/isufs00000513.htm |title= Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2002/2003 |publisher=International Skating Union |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030625143944/http://www.icecalc.de/isu/bios/isufs00000513.htm |archive-date= 25 June 2003 |url-status= unfit }}

{{cite news |url= http://www.goldenskate.com/2003/04/abitbol-and-bernadis-try-to-be-different/ |title= Abitbol and Bernadis Try to Be Different |first= Barry |last= Mittan |work= GoldenSkate |date= 23 April 2003 }}

{{cite web |url= http://www.jbmittan.com/articles/a-abitbol.htm |title= Sarah Abitbol and Stephane Bernadis |first= J. Barry |last= Mittan |year= 1996 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120514175110/http://www.jbmittan.com/articles/a-abitbol.htm |archive-date= 14 May 2012 |url-status= dead }}

{{cite news |url= https://www.espn.com/skating/news/2000/0329/453651.html |title= A problem-plagued championship |agency= Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |date= 29 March 2000 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081012123041/http://espn.go.com/skating/news/2000/0329/453651.html |archive-date= 12 October 2008 |url-status= live }}

{{cite news |url= http://www.liberation.fr/sports/0101329153-patinage-artistique-malgre-l-agression-de-stephane-bernadis-le-couple-francais-est-troisieme-des-championnats-du-monde-les-coups-volent-bas-derriere-la-glace |title= Patinage artistique. Malgré l'agression de Stéphane Bernadis, le couple français est troisième des championnats du monde. Les coups volent bas derrière la glace. |language= fr |trans-title= Figure skating. Despite the attack on Stéphane Bernadis, the French pair are third at the World Championships. |first= Lionel |last= Froissart |work= Libération |date= 30 March 2000 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120327025706/http://www.liberation.fr/sports/0101329153-patinage-artistique-malgre-l-agression-de-stephane-bernadis-le-couple-francais-est-troisieme-des-championnats-du-monde-les-coups-volent-bas-derriere-la-glace |archive-date= 27 March 2012 |url-status= live }}

{{cite news |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/751594/French-skater-attacked-in-hotel.html |title= French skater attacked in hotel |publisher=Deseret News |date= 28 March 2000 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121121220340/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/751594/French-skater-attacked-in-hotel.html |archive-date= 21 November 2012 |url-status= dead }}

{{cite news |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/print/811814/Skater-Bernadis-had-death-threat-before-attack.html |title= Skater Bernadis had death threat before attack |agency= Reuters |publisher=Deseret News |date= 31 March 2000 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142703/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/print/811814/Skater-Bernadis-had-death-threat-before-attack.html |archive-date= 24 September 2015 |url-status= dead }}

{{cite web |url= http://www.premiere.fr/Star/Sarah-Abitbol-3891993 |title= Sarah Abitbol |language= fr |publisher=premiere.fr |access-date= 30 June 2014 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141231020348/http://www.premiere.fr/Star/Sarah-Abitbol-3891993 |archive-date= 31 December 2014 }}

{{cite news |url= http://www.purepeople.com/article/sarah-abitbol-la-jolie-patineuse-artistique-s-est-mariee_a39080/1 |title= Sarah Abitbol: la jolie patineuse artistique... s'est mariée ! |language= fr |trans-title=Sarah Abitbol is married |publisher=purepeople.com |date= 3 September 2009 }}

{{cite news |url= http://www.purepeople.com/article/sarah-abitbol-est-maman_a82045/1 |title= Sarah Abitbol est maman |language= fr |trans-title=Sarah Abitbol now a mother |publisher=purepeople.com |date= 18 June 2011 }}

{{cite news |url= https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/29048967/former-french-skater-sparks-sport-latest-sexual-abuse-reckoning |title= Former French skater sparks sport's latest sexual abuse reckoning |work= ESPN |date= 17 April 2020 }}

{{cite news |url= https://www.france24.com/en/sport/20210109-former-french-skating-champion-abitbol-relieved-as-ex-coach-beyer-charged-with-sex-assault |title= Former French skating champion Abitbol 'relieved' as ex-coach Beyer charged with sex assault |work= France 24 |date= 9 January 2021 }}

{{cite news |url= https://apnews.com/article/sports-violence-sexual-assault-violence-in-sports-9e7459499b952a01be97eedb2dff88ea |title= Hundreds of French sports figures accused of sexual violence |first= Angela |last= Charlton |work= Associated Press |date= 3 April 2021 }}

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{{Commons category-inline|Sarah Abitbol}}

• {{isu name| id=00000513 | name= Sarah Abitbol / Stéphane Bernadis}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318200539/http://www.abitbolbernadis.com/ Official website of Abitbol / Bernadis] {{in lang|fr}}

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Category:1975 births

Category:Olympic figure skaters for France

Category:Figure skaters at the 1998 Winter Olympics

Category:French female pair skaters

Category:Living people

Category:Jewish French sportspeople

Category:World Figure Skating Championships medalists

Category:European Figure Skating Championships medalists

Category:Sportspeople from Nantes

Category:20th-century French sportswomen