American ice dance stars Madison Chock and Evan Bates recently cleared up rumors about their future in skating. After winning silver in the ice dance event at the Winter Olympics, many fans began wondering if the longtime pair were preparing to retire.

The speculation grew quickly online, but the two skaters say those reports are not accurate.During a recent appearance on the television show Live with Kelly and Mark, the pair explained that they still love being on the ice and are not planning to step away anytime soon. Instead of retirement, they said they are looking forward to new opportunities in skating, including live tours and other projects that allow them to keep performing.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates explain their future plans after Olympic success and World Championships withdrawal

Speaking during the interview, Evan Bates made it clear that skating will remain a big part of their lives. “I don’t think we’re ready to announce retirement. We love skating so much, we’re gonna be continuing to skate, we’ve got some other opportunities coming up,” Bates said.He also revealed one of the projects already planned for the coming months. “We’re gonna be touring with Stars on Ice, which is the show that we do with almost all of the Olympians from the US team,” he added.

Chock also shared her excitement about trying something new outside traditional competition. She spoke about her interest in appearing on the popular dance program Dancing with the Stars.“I think we should trade our skates for some ballroom shoes that might be fun. I would love to do Dancing with the Stars,” Chock said. She explained that she has followed the show for many years and enjoys watching Olympic athletes compete there.At the same time, the pair confirmed another important update regarding their schedule. According to Newsweek, Chock and Bates have officially withdrawn from the upcoming ISU World Figure Skating Championships.Their place at the event will be taken by fellow American ice dance team Caroline Green and Michael Parsons.The Olympic event itself also sparked discussion among fans. Some viewers debated the final judging scores after a close result in the ice dance competition.

The situation added to the speculation about whether Chock and Bates might be thinking about retirement.Despite the rumors, the couple remains one of the most successful ice dance teams in American figure skating. Over the years, they have won seven national championships and multiple medals at international competitions.They also hold both a team gold medal and an individual silver medal from the Winter Olympics with Team USA. For now, their focus appears to be simple: continue skating, perform in front of fans, and explore new opportunities that keep them connected to the sport they love.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com