Spanish figure skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate will be allowed to use his usual music from the animated film Minions at the upcoming Winter Olympics after a late copyright U-turn from Universal Pictures.
Sabate has become a crowd favourite throughout the World Cup season for his routine set to songs from the Minions series of films, which he performs while wearing a yellow T-shirt and blue overalls, similar to the titular characters’ outfits.
He looked set to be unable to use the music for his Olympic debut next week due to copyright clearance issues with Illumination, a subsidiary of Universal Pictures who own the popular franchise.
However, after Sabate posted about his disappointment on social media, the studio have now granted permission for use of the soundtrack following fan pressure, leaving the 26-year-old delighted.
He posted on Instagram: “Huge THANK YOU to everyone who reposted, shared and supported. Because of you Universal Studios reconsidered and officially granted the rights for this one special occasion.
“There are still a couple things to be tied up with the other two musics of the programme but we are so close to accomplishing it! And it’s all thanks to you!! I’m so happy to see that the minions hitting Olympic ice is becoming real again!!”
Sabate has previously said he chose the Minions music to bring joy and a playful style to the ice and show that “skating as a male Olympic figure skater can be fun.”
The six-time Spanish champions had followed all required procedures and submitted the music through the International Skating Union ClicknClear system back in August but found out he didn’t have clearance just a week before the Games get underway. However, this late reprieve has turned the tables.
The men’s figure skating event at the Olympics starts in Milan on 10 February with Sabate no longer needing his back-up plan of using a mix of music by the Bee Gees for his short programme.
He will still perform to songs by the pop group in his free skate – the second part of his routine which takes place on 13 February – however.
Sabate has become a cult hero in figure skating circles for his unusual routine, earning a rousing reception at the recent European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, where he finished 18th, and can now prepare for his Olympic bow.
