The Minions made it to the 2026 Winter Olympics after a music rights dispute almost forced Spanish figure skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate to change his plans.
Sabate donned his yellow-and-blue costume and brought the mischievous spirit of the Minions to Milan in the men’s short program on Tuesday. “It felt amazing,” he said after his performance to a soundtrack that begins with peals of laughter from the lovable characters. Despite nerves and an early mistake, Sabate embraced the fun routine inspired by the Minions—famous henchmen of criminal mastermind Gru in the “Despicable Me” franchise.
Although the 26-year-old placed 25th out of 29 skaters, falling one spot short of qualifying for Friday’s free skate, Sabate says he’s grateful for the overwhelming support he received.
In dozens of Instagram stories, Sabate shared messages from fans all over the world, including a shoutout from former U.S. Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, who posted a photo of himself wearing Minion socks in solidarity.
Sabate explained that the Minions are a way for him to express himself “even though I’m a little bit shy at the beginning.” The recent dispute over music rights revealed just how much encouragement and backing he truly has.
### The Music Rights Challenge
Sabate had been performing this fan-favorite program all season, believing he had the proper approval to use the music. However, last week everything changed when he was informed he couldn’t use the Minions-themed soundtrack.
“When I did my post, I was certain I wouldn’t do the Minions,” Sabate admitted Tuesday. “That’s why I did the post—as a way of warning the people, whoever expects the Minions at the Olympics, ‘I’m sorry but don’t, unfortunately it’s not gonna happen.’ I can’t expose myself to getting sued.”
He was stunned by the outpouring of support on social media as he sought the necessary rights from Universal Studios and musician and producer Pharrell Williams. The medley featured music related to the Minions, who have appeared in several “Despicable Me” sequels and their own spinoffs.
Fortunately, the final approval came through last Friday, allowing Sabate to keep his beloved routine intact at the Olympics.
### Behind the Scenes
The rights to the Minions characters belong to Universal Studios, which is part of NBCUniversal—a subsidiary of Comcast. NBC, the official broadcaster of the Olympics, is also part of NBCUniversal.
“I didn’t realize the reach my skating had even outside of the figure skating world,” Sabate said, “and it helped me realize how far I’ve come, how far my skating has brought me.”
He added that it will sink in only after the Olympics conclude. “I haven’t had really the time to take everything in and just appreciate everything,” he reflected.
### Music and Figure Skating
The International Skating Union began allowing music with vocals in 2014. Since the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, more skaters have been choosing modern songs for their routines. However, this trend has led to similar rights issues for other competitors.
For example, Petr Gumennik of Russia, competing as a neutral athlete, had to change his short program music due to a last-minute rights issue. He replaced music from *Perfume: The Story of a Murderer*, a psychological thriller, with a track from a Russian romantic epic. Even U.S. champion Amber Glenn faced a copyright tangle with a Canadian artist.
### What’s Next for Sabate?
In the meantime, Sabate is busy answering the flood of fan messages. “I want to be the kind of person that replies to their fans,” he said. “They take the time to write to you and I want to take the time to answer.”
The Winter Olympic events will continue through the closing ceremony on February 22. Following that, the Paralympics are scheduled to take place from March 6 to March 15.
Stay tuned for more updates on Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate and the rest of the Olympic athletes bringing passion and creativity to the ice this season.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minions-olympics-figure-skater-tomas-llorenc-guarino-sabate/
