Ilia Malinin's Olympic Backflip
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin, known as the "Quad God," performed a backflip during his first two programs on Olympic ice. He successfully landed the second backflip on a single blade, generating a significant crowd reaction.
Malinin stated that the move's recognizable nature helps attract a non-figure skating audience.
Historical Context of the Backflip
Malinin, who previously trained in gymnastics, first performed the backflip in competition in 2024. This was the same year the sport's governing body, the International Skating Union (ISU), lifted its ban on the maneuver. Malinin is the first individual in five decades to legally land a backflip at the Olympics.
The Ban and Its Defiance
The backflip generated controversy from its initial appearance in international competition. Terry Kubicka, another American skater, was the first to land a backflip at the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics. Following this, the ISU banned the backflip in 1977.
Reasons for the ban included safety concerns and its violation of the principle that jumps should land on one skate.
Despite the ban, some elite skaters, such as 1984 gold medalist Scott Hamilton, continued to perform the move in non-competitive exhibition shows.
France's Surya Bonaly performed a banned backflip on one blade at the 1998 Nagano Games, even while injured. This act was widely regarded as defiant, undertaken when she knew she could not achieve a winning score.
The move resulted in a points deduction but contributed to her legacy as a trailblazer.
Reinstatement and Modern Era
In recent years, skaters including U.S. Olympic champion Nathan Chen performed backflips in exhibition galas. French skater Adam Siao Him Fa performed a backflip during his free skate program at the 2024 European Championships and World Championships, receiving a two-point deduction.
Terry Kubicka, who first landed an Olympic backflip, was a member of the technical panel that observed Siao Him Fa's performance at the World Championships.
Later in 2024, the ISU officially reversed its backflip ban, effective for the 2024-2025 season.
The organization indicated that "somersault type jumps are very spectacular and nowadays it is not logical anymore to include them as illegal movements."
The backflip no longer incurs a penalty but also does not count towards a skater's technical score as it is not a required element. It can, however, potentially enhance a skater's artistic score and confidence.
U.S. competitive skater Will Annis, 21, expressed enthusiasm for the backflip, noting the crowd's positive reaction and calling it "easier than everything else I do" because it allows for slight imprecision upon landing on two feet. Annis was inspired to learn the move after seeing Siao Him Fa perform it, with the ban being lifted just days before his first competition.