In a challenging development at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Russian figure skater Petr Gumennik was compelled to revise his short program music just two days before the men's event. Gumennik, competing as a neutral athlete, had prepared his routine for the entire season to music from the psychological thriller film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. However, in the days leading up to the competition, he discovered that he lacked the necessary authorization to perform to this track, creating a last-minute dilemma as the Games commenced.
With little time remaining, Gumennik was also unable to secure clearance for last season's music, a piece from the space opera Dune. As a result, he opted for "Waltz 1805" by Edgar Hakobyan, a selection for which he successfully obtained permissions.
The men's figure skating competition was scheduled to begin on Tuesday night with the short program segment. Gumennik's situation follows a recent trend of athletes confronting music copyright challenges during the Games.
Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate faced a similar predicament. He had performed his short program throughout the season to a medley from the animated comedy film Minions, a routine popular with audiences. Nonetheless, Universal Studios threatened to deny the rights for performance at the Olympics.
In response, Sabate actively sought approval for alternative music segments, including reaching out directly to Spanish artist Pharrell Williams, ultimately receiving authorization to use Williams' song "Freedom" by the Friday preceding the Games. Sabate remarked, "It hasn’t been an easy process, but the support of everyone who has followed my case has been key to keeping me motivated and optimistic these past few days." He also prepared a backup routine amid these negotiations.
Belgian skater Loena Hendrickx encountered concerns over her music selection as well. Originally performing to "Ashes" by Celine Dion from the film Deadpool 2, she switched to Dion's "I Surrender," which was more straightforward to clear for Olympic use.
The escalation of copyright issues in figure skating has become significant in recent years. Historically, athletes performed exclusively to instrumental music, typically in the public domain. Since the International Skating Union (ISU) relaxed its regulations in 2014 to permit vocals and contemporary pieces, conflicts over unauthorized use of copyrighted music have surfaced more frequently.
The ISU has endeavored to implement measures aimed at preventing such infringements, yet these complications persist and appear increasingly common.
ISU President Jae Youl Kim described the situation as "a very, very, very serious problem." He emphasized the need for athletes to focus on their sport without undue concern about music clearance issues.
Gumennik’s challenges may partially stem from the limited international exposure Russian skaters have experienced, following the ban on their nation’s participation after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This restriction meant fewer opportunities to demonstrate his routines and music globally, leaving others less familiar with his selected pieces.
The ISU vetted Gumennik last year, confirming he had no Kremlin affiliations, subsequently authorizing his competition as a neutral athlete, contingent upon qualification. He secured his place by winning the Skate to Milan qualifier in September, marking his Olympic debut.
Another Russian, Adeliia Petrosian, also competing neutrally, is participating in the women’s event. She has faced no reported music copyright problems, performing a Michael Jackson medley in the short program and classical compositions in the free skate, each with appropriate permissions.
For his free skate, Gumennik selected music from the Russian historical romance film Onegin, a piece for which he obtained clearance.