Major issue threatens to shake up figure skating at Winter Olympics: Report

We are only a few short days away from the opening ceremonies in Milan, Italy, for the XXV Winter Olympic Games, and one of the event’s most popular sports might be in danger of significant changes right before the competition begins.

Figure skating has become one of the premier events of the Winter Olympic Games, and that will be no different in 2026, with the team, women’s, and men’s competitions likely to be among the most-watched telecasts globally.

For the men, it’s American prodigy Ilia Malinin attempting to continue his historically dominant run with his first gold, beginning his quest to become the greatest of all time.

On the women’s side, it’s the exact opposite, as top skaters from the United States, Europe, and Japan all have strong chances to make the podium in one of the deepest fields in Olympic history.

But that might all change with today’s news by Jackie Wong, one of the leading voices and reporters in the figure skating scene.

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“I’m getting word that there are skaters having to fight music rights battles right now just days before the Olympics,” posted Wong on social media. “We know Lauriault/le Gac has already made the decision to change their [rhythm dance]. Don’t be surprised if we get some other program changes in Milan.”

If true, this news could be a significant game-changer for all the skaters currently flying or who have just landed in Milan for the start of the 17-day spectacle.

While on the outside, a change of music might not seem like anything meaningful to a casual observer, skaters build their routines and entire training sessions around a single song when building what they will show at the Olympics.

What could have been a jaw-dropping opener to a skater’s chance at the podium might now have to be shifted and changed if the Olympics committee forces them to change their title track.

Figure skating begins in Milan on Feb. 6, with the team ice rhythm dance segment.