Spanish figure skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate will not be allowed to skate to his popular Minions music at the 2026 Winter Olympics because of copyright problems.
The 26-year-old, who will represent Spain in the men’s event in Milan, has become known this season for performing to songs from the Minions films while wearing a yellow top and blue overalls, just like the characters. The routine has been a hit with fans around the world.
However, Sabate said Universal Pictures, who own the rights to the music, have not given permission for it to be used at the Olympics. He revealed on Instagram that he was told only days before the Games that he could no longer use the program.
Sabate said the news was disappointing, especially so close to the biggest competition of his career, but promised to adapt and give his best performance.
The skater, a six-time Spanish champion making his Olympic debut, said he had followed all the rules and submitted the music months ago. He now has just days to change his routine before competition begins on 10 February.
The International Skating Union said it is aware of the situation and noted that copyright issues can be challenging in artistic sports.
