U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin landed two backflips on the ice in his first two programs at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, much to the crowd's delight.Malinin, known as the "Quad God," was the first to show off the move legally in almost half a century. But he wasn't the first to do it on Olympic ice.Video above: Collectors flock to Milan Cortina trading post to score Olympic-themed pinsAmerican Terry Kubicka was the first skater to land a backflip in international competition at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria."It was pretty exciting," Kubicka recalled to US Figure Skating in 2024. "There was a lot of controversy leading up to the Olympics, because I did it for the first time a month before at the U.S. Championships. At the time, there was no ruling on as how it would be (scored) and the feedback that I got was that judges did not really see it as a pro or con because they didn't know how to judge it."Ice skating's governing body, the International Skating Union, banned the backflip in 1977, partly because of the danger and partly because it went against the principle of landing on one skate after a jump.But in 1998, one Olympic figure skater dared to flip anyway. At the Nagano Games, France's Surya Bonaly was recovering from a severe rupture to her Achilles heel two years prior. The day before the freestyle long program, she pulled a muscle and had to be carried up stairs. She knew it would be her last Olympics, and she wanted something that was just hers.Bonaly recalled in a 2016 interview with Radiolab that though she planned for two more triples at the end of her program, she felt in the moment that she would crash if she tried. Instead, she decided to draw on a skill her mother had encouraged her to learn even as officials admonished her."I had a special thing in my back pocket, and I say, 'Hey, I can do it. It's my last – it's my last competition.'"Bonaly landed a backflip on one blade at the Nagano Games, despite knowing she would lose points for it."I just wanted to show the judges, who don't appreciate what I do, just what I can do," Bonaly told the Vancouver Sun. "I just wanted to do something the crowd would like."The Washington Post said in 2018, "Bonaly was making a statement not only as an accomplished skater, but also as a black athlete in one of the world's whitest sports."Her career ended on a 10th-place finish, but she cemented her place in history as the first skater known to land a backflip on one blade. The move is known as a Bonaly."I'm not that (much of) a rebel," she said. "I appreciate more and I feel more proud of myself now, today, than years ago for when I did it."Nobody attempted a backflip at the Olympics from then on, but it appeared at exhibitions and later at competitions, including the European and World championships.Video above: Winter House offers athletes a retreat at Milan Cortina OlympicsIn 2024, the International Skating Union officially reversed its backflip ban for the 2024-2025 season. On its meeting agenda, it said "somersault-type jumps are very spectacular, and nowadays it is not logical anymore to include them as illegal movements."For this year's Winter Games, Malinin, known for his jumps, incorporated the backflip into his program. On Sunday, it was part of a gold medal-winning free skate.The AP wrote of the move, "Some argue that the punishment of Bonaly back then and the praise of Malinin today underscore a double standard that still exists in the figure skating world."Bonaly herself told the AP in a phone interview that it was great to see someone do the backflip on Olympic ice, because skating needs to be taken to an upper level.In response to the criticism she faced in her heyday, Bonaly said she was “born too early.""I broke ice for other skaters," Bonaly said. "Now everything is different. People welcome anyone as long as they are good, and that is what life is about."PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin landed two backflips on the ice in his first two programs at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, much to the crowd's delight.
Malinin, known as the "Quad God," was the first to show off the move legally in almost half a century. But he wasn't the first to do it on Olympic ice.
Video above: Collectors flock to Milan Cortina trading post to score Olympic-themed pins
American Terry Kubicka was the first skater to land a backflip in international competition at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.
"It was pretty exciting," Kubicka recalled to US Figure Skating in 2024. "There was a lot of controversy leading up to the Olympics, because I did it for the first time a month before at the U.S. Championships. At the time, there was no ruling on as how it would be (scored) and the feedback that I got was that judges did not really see it as a pro or con because they didn't know how to judge it."
Tim Clayton/Getty Images
Ilia Malinin of the United States performs a back flip during his routine in the Figure Skating, Team Event, Men’s Single Skating - Short Program routine at the Milano Ice Skating Arena at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026 on Feb. 7, 2026, in Milan, Italy.
Walt Disney Television Photo Archives
Terry Kubicka competing in the Men’s Free skate event, at the Olympiahalle, 1976 Winter Olympics/XII Olympic Winter Games.
Ice skating's governing body, the International Skating Union, banned the backflip in 1977, partly because of the danger and partly because it went against the principle of landing on one skate after a jump.
But in 1998, one Olympic figure skater dared to flip anyway.
At the Nagano Games, France's Surya Bonaly was recovering from a severe rupture to her Achilles heel two years prior. The day before the freestyle long program, she pulled a muscle and had to be carried up stairs. She knew it would be her last Olympics, and she wanted something that was just hers.
Bonaly recalled in a 2016 interview with Radiolab that though she planned for two more triples at the end of her program, she felt in the moment that she would crash if she tried. Instead, she decided to draw on a skill her mother had encouraged her to learn even as officials admonished her.
"I had a special thing in my back pocket, and I say, 'Hey, I can do it. It's my last – it's my last competition.'"
Bonaly landed a backflip on one blade at the Nagano Games, despite knowing she would lose points for it.
"I just wanted to show the judges, who don't appreciate what I do, just what I can do," Bonaly told the Vancouver Sun. "I just wanted to do something the crowd would like."
ERIC FEFERBERG
Surya Bonaly of France performs a backflip in her free skate routine in the women’s Olympic figure skating in Nagano on February. 20, 1998. The flip is not permitted in skating competition, but Bonaly said afterwards that she knew she could not win a medal, so she did it for the spectators.
The Washington Post said in 2018, "Bonaly was making a statement not only as an accomplished skater, but also as a black athlete in one of the world's whitest sports."
Her career ended on a 10th-place finish, but she cemented her place in history as the first skater known to land a backflip on one blade. The move is known as a Bonaly.
"I'm not that (much of) a rebel," she said. "I appreciate more and I feel more proud of myself now, today, than years ago for when I did it."
Nobody attempted a backflip at the Olympics from then on, but it appeared at exhibitions and later at competitions, including the European and World championships.
Video above: Winter House offers athletes a retreat at Milan Cortina Olympics
In 2024, the International Skating Union officially reversed its backflip ban for the 2024-2025 season. On its meeting agenda, it said "somersault-type jumps are very spectacular, and nowadays it is not logical anymore to include them as illegal movements."
For this year's Winter Games, Malinin, known for his jumps, incorporated the backflip into his program. On Sunday, it was part of a gold medal-winning free skate.
VCG
Ilia Malinin of Team United States reacts in Men’s Single Skating - Free Skating Team event on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 8, in Milan, Italy.
The AP wrote of the move, "Some argue that the punishment of Bonaly back then and the praise of Malinin today underscore a double standard that still exists in the figure skating world."
Bonaly herself told the AP in a phone interview that it was great to see someone do the backflip on Olympic ice, because skating needs to be taken to an upper level.
In response to the criticism she faced in her heyday, Bonaly said she was “born too early."
"I broke ice for other skaters," Bonaly said. "Now everything is different. People welcome anyone as long as they are good, and that is what life is about."
