Talk about a villainous plot twist.
Spanish figure skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté, a viral sensation for his playful Minions-themed routine, has been forced to scrap his signature performance just days before competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy—all due to a last-minute copyright crackdown.
"This season, I performed my Minions short program to add fun and a lighthearted touch to the ice while still hitting all the technical marks to prove that men's Olympic figure skating can be enjoyable," Sabaté wrote in an Instagram story post on Sunday, revealing the shocking setback.
Despite claiming he "completed all necessary steps and submitted my music correctly" and used "this program all season long," he was abruptly told he "can no longer use this program because of copyright clearance problems."
Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté competing in the Men's Short Program during the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2026. Yuan Tian/NurPhoto via Getty
"Learning this last Friday, so near to the most important competition of my career, was deeply upsetting," Sabaté added. "But I will tackle this obstacle directly and strive to turn it into a positive."
Ending his heartfelt message, Sabaté expressed being "immensely thankful" for the fan support his unique routine received this season. "I vow to give my all on the ice and present performances we can both take pride in," he stated.
Sabaté's Minions-themed performance had exploded online for its playful and dramatic flair. Wearing an outfit reminiscent of the Despicable Me characters' iconic denim overalls and yellow bodies, he glided and danced on ice to a lively track featuring Minion-like chatter.
The routine uses the song "Papaya (Vaya Papayas)" by Juan Alcaraz, a rhythmic tune with minimal lyrics in Minion voices about fruits like pears, bananas, and papayas. Alcaraz and "The Minions" are credited for the song's creation, production, and engineering.
The Despicable Me series follows supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) as he battles foes with his Minion assistants. The franchise includes seven films, three focused on the Minions, produced by Universal Pictures through Illumination.
Alcaraz's track appears to lack official approval from Universal to include Despicable Me elements, sparking the copyright drama that has now upended Sabaté's Olympic plans.
TheEntBase has not yet received responses from Universal or the 2026 Winter Olympics representatives.
Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté's Instagram Story. Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate/Instagram
Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate/Instagram
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The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, hosted in northeast Italy's Lombardy region, will occur from Feb 6-22. The initial three figure skating competitions are scheduled for opening day.
