Surya Bonaly is an undisputed star of figure skating. It is known that she has won many competitions around the world, both alone and in pairs. She is also known for her fiery temperament on the ice. What is less known, however, is that the athlete participated in the reality show “La Ferme Célébrités 3”. This rural reality show was originally intended for former stars or those on the decline, but the skater felt right at home. Although not everything was rosy at the time according to rumors.
Surya Bonaly: an extraordinary skater destiny
Adopted at a young age, Surya Bonaly grew up with her parents in a sheepfold on the outskirts of Nice. The girl grew up surrounded by animals, including nearly thirty goats. Surya Bonaly lived a spartan life without water or electricity, also being homeschooled by her parents. She developed a passion for sports.
As a child, Surya Bonaly practiced dance, fencing, and gymnastics. She found her calling shortly after seeing renowned German figure skater Katarina Witt at the 1984 Winter Olympics. From then on, the young girl worked hard to replicate the athlete’s complex moves. Her parents took her to Paris to train under the guidance of her own mother. In 1990, she finished second in the junior world championships in the United States.
Surya Bonaly, her strong character in the face of injustices
The rest is almost common knowledge. Surya Bonaly became a rising star in figure skating and eventually a star in the sport. She notably won nine solo world championships and one in pairs. Additionally, she collected no less than 16 medals, including 10 gold medals, at the Grand Prix ISU. However, the athlete, of Reunionese origin, faced blatant racism and injustices on the ice.
Two incidents stand out, both occurring during competitions in Japan. Firstly, in 1994, there was the disappointment of winning the silver medal. Feeling unfairly judged by the judges, Surya Bonaly refused the medal, making a strong and symbolic statement. Four years later, she performed a backflip, a move that was prohibited at the time for being too dangerous. She was penalized for it in the end.
Figure skater Surya Bonaly blunt on La Ferme Célébrités
In 2010, the figure skating champion participated in the third season of La Ferme Célébrités. Surya Bonaly almost made it to the final before being eliminated. At the time, she defended the World Association of Childhood Friends. Three years later, she reflected on this surprising adventure in South Africa on the podcast “Le Figaro TV”. She also debunked some rumors along the way.
“It was a bad memory, right?” asked the journalist on set. “Not really, actually,” the athlete immediately contested. “In truth, I don’t know how it went on TV because I never saw the footage,” she said. Surya Bonaly then added, “I never really wanted to watch it again. But personally, it was an extraordinary adventure down there in South Africa, three months in the jungle… I loved it. If it were up to me, I would go back.” The Figaro TV host then asked her about a possible romance reported online at the time. The figure skater refuted it, saying, “That’s nonsense.” In a 1992 documentary titled “Sun on Ice, Surya Bonaly,” the young athlete is seen training surrounded by some of her animals. It was like having 30 million friends on ice.
