Spanish Skater Gains Minions Clearance for Olympics

Spanish figure skater Tomàs Llorenç Guarino Sabaté will perform his popular Minions-themed short program at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics after Universal Pictures granted last-minute copyright clearance, thanks to widespread fan support online.

The 26-year-old, a six-time Spanish national champion making his Olympic debut, had built anticipation for the routine throughout the season. Dressed in a yellow shirt and blue overalls to evoke the animated characters from the Despicable Me franchise, Guarino Sabaté skated to a medley including the Universal Fanfare, Vicious Funk by Heitor Pereira, Freedom by Pharrell Williams, and a Minions remix of Papaya by Juan Alcaraz. The playful program, submitted for clearance in August through the International Skating Union's ClicknClear system, aimed to bring joy and whimsy to the ice while fulfilling technical requirements.

However, just days before the Games opened on Friday, Guarino Sabaté learned on the previous Friday that the music had not been approved. The issue centered on the Papaya track, featuring the Minions' iconic vocals, owned by Illumination under Universal Pictures. Olympic competitions enforce stricter copyright...