The Winter Olympics certainly generated its fair share of headline-grabbing stories over the last few weeks. In the figure skating, one of those stories was that surrounding Spanish skater, Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate, and his now famed Minions-inspired routine.

As well as capturing the imagination of many fans with his yellow T-shirt and blue overalls costume, evoking the outfits worn by the distinctive pill-shaped creatures from the Despicable Me franchise, Sabate found himself at the centre of a copyright clearance issue for the “Universal Fanfare” track that he planned to incorporate into his routine.  

Sabate, however, was not the only figure skater to face such issues at the Milano-Cortina Games, with several others also encountering copyright clearance hurdles affecting their preferred choice of music.

This article examines the intellectual property considerations underpinning these matters and why they ultimately reached varying conclusions. It also discusses the key considerations that must be borne in mind when considering the use of creative works owned by another, especially at one of the most-watched global sporting events.

For further on the broader legal talking points and challenges impacting the XXV Winter Olympic Games, please see my colleague Henry Goldschmidt’s Sports Shorts article: High stakes: Traversing the legal terrain of Milano Cortina 2026™.