Minions hit Olympic ice: Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate close to music approval

MILAN — It appears as if those troublemaking Minions will be taking the Olympic ice after all.

Spanish figure skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate said after practice early Thursday that he has received the necessary approval for three of the four music cuts he needs to perform his short program. The only piece missing from his medley is ''Freedom'' by Pharrell Williams, and the American musician and producer has been sympathetic to his plight.

''They are discussing it,'' Sabate told The Associated Press and a few other reporters. ''He seems to be OK, but there's problems because he's restricted by his label. A lot of technical stuff. But they are working to make it happen.''

Sabate was optimistic enough to practice his Minions-themed program shortly after 7 a.m. local time inside a nearly empty Milano Ice Skating Arena. The program opens with peels of laughter from the characters before going into music from the film franchise.

Sabate had performed the program all season, believing he had gone through the proper protocols in a system called ClicknClear to obtain the necessary permissions. But then on Friday, Universal Studios stepped in, asking for more details not only on the music being used but also the blue-and-yellow Minions-themed outfit that Sabate plans to wear.

Suddenly, the possibility of performing Minions became so dire that Sabate began practicing last year's program, set to music by the Bee Gees. The big problem with that plan: He used the same music for his free skate this season.

''Then people started sharing, reposting, sending so much support and love to me,'' Sabate said. ''The next thing I know, I wake up Tuesday with I don't know how many messages. ... And I think Tuesday night I had a message from people telling me Universal had changed their mind, and you have the rights to the first two pieces of music.''

The copyright problem is relatively new in figure skating. For years, music using lyrics was not allowed, and classical music and other standard fare was part of the public domain, meaning it could be used or modified freely and without permission.

That changed in 2014, when the International Skating Union began to allow words. Fast-forward to the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and one of the indie artists who covered ''House of the Rising Sun'' objected to the use of its work by American pairs skaters Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier. The ensuing lawsuit prompted the ISU to develop systems to help skaters get proper permissions.

The process remains confusing and full of pitfalls.

In fact, Sabate isn't the only one at the Milan Cortina Olympics affected by it.

Two-time world medalist Loena Hendrickx of Belgium had been performing her short program to ''Ashes'' by Celine Dion from the film ''Deadpool 2.'' But after the European championships last month, her brother and coach, Jorik Hendrickx, and choreographer Adam Solya grew concerned that the music would not be approved for the Olympics, forcing them to change course.

Other skaters also have had to make minor modifications to their Olympic programs over the past few weeks.

''We don't want athletes to be worried about the music,'' ISU president Jae Youl Kim told AP recently. ''It's really complicated because sometimes one piece of music is owned by 16 different individuals and entities, different rights holders. So actually we are taking a different approach. We are talking directly with the major music labels: ‘Guys, these are young skaters. How can we find a solution that works for everybody?' We're still in discussions. But this is something that we are very seriously committed to.''

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