Why Legal Issues Over Song Rights Are Impacting Performances at the Milan-Cortina Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina have been a showcase of athletic excellence and global unity, but behind the scenes, figure skating one of the most popular spectator events, has encountered an unusual hurdle: copyright issues related to the music used in routines.
Figure skating is a sport where choreography and music are inseparable. Athletes spend months preparing programmes set to carefully chosen soundtracks. These pieces are selected not only for emotional impact and rhythm, but also to highlight the skater’s strengths and interpretation. However, as routines evolve and athletes prepare for international exposure, the legal complexities of music licensing have become hard to ignore.
In many cases, skaters use popular songs or well-known instrumental pieces that are protected by copyright. To perform publicly at an event as high-profile as the Olympics where broadcasts reach millions worldwide and media rights are strictly managed athletes and their teams must secure proper permission from rights holders. This usually involves negotiating licences with record companies, publishers and composers, a process that can be costly and time-consuming.
Figure skating is a sport where choreography and music are inseparable. Athletes spend months preparing programmes set to carefully chosen soundtracks. These pieces are selected not only for emotional impact and rhythm, but also to highlight the skater’s strengths and interpretation. However, as routines evolve and athletes prepare for international exposure, the legal complexities of music licensing have become hard to ignore.
In many cases, skaters use popular songs or well-known instrumental pieces that are protected by copyright. To perform publicly at an event as high-profile as the Olympics where broadcasts reach millions worldwide and media rights are strictly managed athletes and their teams must secure proper permission from rights holders. This usually involves negotiating licences with record companies, publishers and composers, a process that can be costly and time-consuming.
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