Amber Glenn arrived at her first Olympic short program with high hopes, but a mistake on a jump cost her medal chances. Soon after, she came off the ice and broke down in tears. At the same time, Alysa Liu had already skated strongly and was enjoying her moment. When she saw Amber’s breakdown, her mood shifted instantly to concern, and she went over to comfort her. However, months later, when the two appeared together again on stage, that same bond was misinterpreted by fans, something Glenn instantly pushed back.

On May 14, Amber Glenn shared a TikTok from the Stars on Ice tour during Week 5, where she and Alysa were seen performing on the rink together. Shortly after, fans turned it into “shipping” rumors, although it was nothing more than teammates sharing space on tour.

Some fans commented, “Now THIS is yuri on ice,” and others added inappropriate comments like “Is it getting hot in here ???”

Amber Glenn, who has a history of standing up to abuse and unfair criticism online, decided to stand up once again, “GUYS, ALYSA IS LIKE A LITTLE SISTER TO ME! I’VE KNOWN HER SINCE SHE WAS 10 AND I WAS 16.”

Amber, who openly identifies herself as queer, stepped in to bash inappropriate rumors. She made it clear the interpretation was not real and wrote and also shared a photo from their early training days.

Alysa Liu revealed her relationship status in past interviews. She said, “I love being single. I really do. I see myself being single for a long time. Especially right now, I choose friendships over relationships any day.” Alysa Liu once revealed, “She’s (Glenn) just such a big sister to me.”

Before the friendly bond, they were rivals on the same circuit. At the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Amber Glenn won gold while Alysa Liu took silver in a close battle. At the 2025 Cup of China, the result flipped, with Glenn taking gold and Liu finishing second. Across the 2025-2026 season, they repeatedly met at the top level.

By the 2026 Winter Olympics, that competition had become a team rivalry and turned into a sisterhood. However, there were times when Amber Glenn went beyond being a sisterly teammate to being more of a “mama bear” when it went wrong with Alysa Liu.

Amber Glenn’s protective “Mama Bear” moment on tour

Alysa Liu has been touring with the “Blade Angels,” which includes Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito, on the Stars on Ice tour in Japan and has the opportunity to dance with ice dance team champions, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, and Ilia Malinin. Even with the support around them, not every moment on tour has been easy.

During the tour, Alysa Liu had a tense situation in Japan. She and Isabeau Levito were walking arm-in-arm when they noticed men following them and blocking their path. Before it could escalate, Amber stepped in. As Alysa put it, “Amber literally was like, ‘Get back.’ She’s mama bear.” She added, “She’s been so protective.” In that moment, Amber was the one stepping in and protective when things felt uncomfortable. But the support doesn’t flow in just one direction.

Speaking of the Winter Olympics incident, Alysa explained why she did what she did. “She’s gone through so much, and she works so friggen’ hard,” Alysa later said. “Like genuinely, such a hard worker, and she’s overcome a lot. I just want her to be happy.”

And that’s what stands out most. On the ice, they compete alone, but off it, they show up for each other!