Ilia Malinin's 'backflip' makes history at Winter Games as the figure skating’s iconic move returns to Olympic fold after 50 years - Why it was banned

Ilia Malinin, the US figure skater popularly known as the Quad God', made Olympic history at the 2026 Winter Games by landing a backflip during the men’s singles short program, marking the return of figure skating’s most iconic and controversial move after nearly 50 years. The backflip, once popular in the 1970s, was banned by the International Skating Union due to safety concerns and its lack of artistic value under scoring rules. Malinin’s successful execution symbolized both technical progress and a shift in judging philosophy. Known for pushing the limits of the sport, the American star thrilled fans at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy.


Malinin’s rise to the top of figure skating has been nothing short of remarkable. After the controversial decision to leave him off the US team for the 2022 Beijing Olympics in favor of veteran Jason Brown, Malinin responded with dominance rather than disappointment. He has gone on to win every US national title since then and has captured gold at the prestigious Grand Prix Final for three straight years. On the world stage, he has claimed back-to-back world championships, often winning by wide margins. Malinin is currently unbeaten in his last 14 full competitions, a streak that now spans more than two years.


“I wouldn't tell people I'm untouchable. I want the opposite. I want people to relate to me,” Malinin told the news agency AP. “Yes, I'm doing all these crazy things on the ice that defy physics in some ways. I still want them to see that all of us skaters are human beings.”

“We still have normal parts of our lives. We're very similar to everyone in the crowd. We have emotions. We go through good things and bad things in life,” Malinin continued. “I just want to express to people that we're human. We're not perfect.”

The controversial figure skating backflip traces its roots to American skater Terry Kubicka in the mid-1970s. At just 19 years old, Kubicka made history at the 1976 US National Championships by ending his winning routine with the first-ever backflip seen in the sport. The daring move quickly caught global attention.

About a month later, Kubicka repeated the feat on the biggest stage in figure skating. During the men’s free skate at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, he landed the first backflip ever performed at the Games. That moment stood for decades as the only time the move was legally completed in Olympic competition - until last week.

WHY 'BACKFLIP' WAS BANNED FROM THE OLYMPICS

Soon after its Olympic debut, the backflip was officially removed from competitive figure skating. Just over a month later, the International Skating Union announced a ban on the move in all sanctioned events. Officials deemed it too risky and said it did not align with the sport’s traditional techniques or artistic standards.

At the time, many critics felt the backflip was better suited for gymnastics than for the ice. Beginning in March 1976, any skater who attempted the move in ISU-approved competitions faced an automatic deduction, effectively ending its presence in elite figure skating for decades.