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Minions Music Meltdown: Skater's Olympic Dream Saved!
3 Feb
Summary
- Skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté's Minions routine cleared for Olympics.
- A 2022 lawsuit significantly changed music clearance processes for skaters.
- Public outcry influenced Universal's reversal on Minions music rights.
Spanish figure skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté has secured permission to use his "Minions"-themed routine for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The six-time national champion's short-form program faced an initial copyright denial, but Universal has now reversed its decision following widespread support.
Guarino Sabaté, who wears a Minion-inspired outfit, stated his aim was to bring a playful style to the ice. His initial submission through ClicknClear in August 2025 went unflagged, but a denial on January 30, 2026, threatened his Olympic participation.
The landscape of music clearance in figure skating drastically changed after a 2022 lawsuit by Heavy Young Heathens against Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier. This led to a complex, often burdensome, music rights process for skaters, with the International Skating Union partnering with ClicknClear.
Wong, a skating analyst, notes that Guarino Sabaté's case is unprecedented, marking the first time public outcry has led to such a public reversal in music rights. The decision was also influenced by Universal's corporate ties to NBC, the Winter Olympics broadcaster in the US.
