Last-Minute Copyright Dispute Disrupts Olympic Preparation
Spanish figure skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté faces an unexpected challenge days before his Winter Olympics debut. The six-time national champion has been barred from performing his signature routines featuring Minions-themed music and costumes due to copyright restrictions.
Abrupt Notification Before Competition
Officials informed Guarino Sabaté on Friday that he lacked proper licensing for the music mix from the popular animated franchise, despite having used it throughout the competitive season. In a social media statement, the athlete expressed frustration, stating he had “followed all due procedures and submitted my music through the ISU ClicknClear system in August.”
“Finding out about this last Friday, so close to the most important competition of my life, was incredibly disappointing,” Guarino Sabaté wrote. “Nevertheless, I will face this challenge head on and do my best to make the best of it.”
Rights Ownership Complicates Performance
Reports indicate Universal Pictures, which owns the Minions franchise through its subsidiary Illumination, denied permission for the Olympic performance. The skater had planned to compete wearing a yellow T-shirt and blue overalls reminiscent of the film characters.
The International Skating Union acknowledged the challenges of music licensing in artistic sports, stating: “Copyright clearances can represent a challenge for all artistic sports. We continue to work collaboratively with rights clearance stakeholders to ensure that thrilling performances can be accompanied by stirring music.”
Race Against Olympic Clock
With just days before Friday’s competition start, Guarino Sabaté must now resynchronize both his short program and free skate routines to replacement music. The skater reassured supporters: “I promise to go out on the ice giving everything I’ve got and present shows that both you and I can be proud of.”
The ISU confirmed it’s investigating the licensing discrepancy involving ClicknClear, a technology platform designed to streamline music rights clearance for performance sports. The organization maintains no direct contractual relationship with the service despite its widespread use among athletes.
