Malinin’s Olympic Backflip Wins Gold, but the Legacy Belongs to a Black Skater

AT A GLANCE

• Ilia Malinin landed the first legal Olympic backflip on one skate, helping the U.S. win team gold.
• The move is widely known as the Bonaly flip, named after Surya Bonaly, who performed it in 1998 when it was banned.
• Critics say Bonaly, a Black skater, was penalized and criticized for what Malinin is now praised for.
• The ISU lifted the backflip ban two years ago to modernize and energize figure skating.

Malinin’s Olympic Backflip Makes History, Reignites an Old Debate

Ilia Malinin, the U.S. figure skater nicknamed the “Quad God,” became the first person to legally land a backflip on one skate in the Olympics — although one trailblazing woman pulled it off when the move was still forbidden.

The 21-year-old from Virginia delivered a crucial free skate on Sunday night for the winning American team, filled with his trademark quadruple jumps, and punctuated the gold medal-clinching performance with his dramatic backflip.

It’s a move known today as “the Bonaly flip” — named for France’s Surya Bonaly. Nevertheless, it is Malinin getting showered with praise, prompting many on social media to lament the way his achievement has eclipsed that of Bonaly, who is Black, and wondering if that is due to the color of her skin.

Ari Lu, 49, was among those on TikTok saying the figure skating world owed Bonaly an apology. Where Malinin is praised for his athleticism, Bonaly was judged, she told The Associated Press in a text message on Monday.

“Something a Black person used to be derided for is now celebrated when done by a white person,” said Lu, who is Black herself. She added that critiques of Bonaly at the time appeared related to her appearance rather than her skills.

When the Backflip Was Banned — and Bonaly Broke the Rules Anyway

The first person to pull off a backflip at the Olympics was former U.S. champion Terry Kubicka, in 1976, and he landed on two skates. The International Skating Union swiftly banned the backflip, considering it too dangerous.

Over 20 years later, at the 1998 Nagano Games, Bonaly flouted the rules and executed a backflip, this time landing on a single blade — an exclamation point to mark her final performance as a professional figure skater. The crowd cheered, and one television commentator exclaimed, “I think she’s done that because she wants to, because it’s not allowed. So good on her.”

Bonaly knew the move meant judges would dock her points, but she did it anyway. The moment would cement her legacy as a Black athlete in a sport that historically has lacked diversity.

Rule Changes Bring the Backflip Back to Olympic Ice

For decades, Bonaly’s thrilling move could only be witnessed at exhibitions. That changed two years ago, when the ISU lifted its ban in a bid to make the sport more exciting and popular among younger fans.

Malinin, known for his high-flying jumps, soon incorporated the backflip into his competitive programs. On Sunday, it became part of a gold medal-winning free skate.

Some argue the punishment of Bonaly then and the praise of Malinin now underscore a double standard that still exists in figure skating.

In a telephone interview from Minnesota, Bonaly told the AP it was great to see the move return to Olympic ice, saying skating needs to be pushed to a higher level.

“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.”

Bonaly’s Legacy and the Ongoing Diversity Gap in Figure Skating

Before Bonaly, there was Mabel Fairbanks, whose Olympic dreams were derailed by racist exclusion in the 1930s, and Debi Thomas, the first African American to win a Winter Olympics medal.

Despite their trailblazing, Black representation in elite figure skating remains limited. No Black skaters are competing for the U.S. this year; popular skater Starr Andrews finished seventh at nationals.

Malinin’s teammate Amber Glenn said she finds backflips exciting but plans to wait until retirement to attempt one.

Meanwhile, both the ISU and the International Olympic Committee have increasingly embraced Bonaly’s legacy, frequently sharing clips of her iconic backflip on social media — a move once penalized, now celebrated.