NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
US Olympic medalist Alex Shibutani has apologized after footage surfaced showing him berating his younger sister and ice dancing partner Maia.
“I feel terrible,” Alex told reporters Friday. “Unfortunately, I got angry in practice, and that shouldn’t have happened. I apologized to Maia right after our practice.”
In the video which leaked on social media last month, Alex can be heard launching an expletive-filled rant at his younger sister.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the United States perform in the Ice Dance – Free Dance on day two of the 2025 ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix NHK Trophy at Towa Pharmaceutical Ractab Dome on November 8, 2025 in Osaka, Japan. (Tang Xinyu/VCG via Getty Images)
“The intensity of what we’re trying to do and the standards that we have, both of us, we both understand (the outburst) but it was wrong and I’m committed to being a better teammate,” he said. “I’m so lucky to skate with Maia. We have a very unique and special relationship and are committed to each other and to this process.”
Maia expressed her “understanding” for her brother’s behavior.
“When you’re working to be your best, there will be intense moments, but for us, we understand each other and the process and we work through it together like brothers and sisters do,” she said. “We continued to practice that day and we pick each other every time.”
US FIGURE SKATING CHAMPION ALYSA LIU REVEALS BEING TARGETED BY CHINESE SPY OPERATION AND FBI PROTECTION
The duo finished sixth at the NHK Trophy in Osaka on Saturday.
They will compete in the Finlandia Trophy again in two weeks with the US nationals in January.
Alex, 34, and Maia, 31, have skated together most of their lives and have long been the dominant American ice dancers, winning bronze at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. They are three-time World Championship medalists and two-time Olympians, finishing ninth at the 2014 Sochi Olympics before finishing third in 2018.
After Pyeongchang, they gave up sports to focus on school and other interests.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the United States compete in the free ice dance during the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix – NHK Trophy at Towa Pharmaceutical RACTAB Dome on November 8, 2025 in Osaka, Japan. (Toru Hanai – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)
They extended their competitive hiatus when Maia was diagnosed with a malignant kidney tumor in 2019. She underwent surgery to remove the mass, and additional treatment resulted in a successful but long and painful recovery.
Now, they’re attempting a comeback after a seven-year hiatus in hopes of making the U.S. team for next year’s Milan-Cortina Games.
