American figure skater performed a 50-year-banned element at the Olympics — he gets no points for it, but the audience is thrilled
The backflip in figure skating was strictly banned for a long time and is still not separately judged by officials. However, it was this element, performed by American figure skater Ilia Malinin, that became one of the most discussed moments at the Winter Olympic Games.
Backflip performed by Ilia Malinin. February 7, 2026. Photo: Tim Clayton / Getty Images
The 21-year-old athlete Ilia Malinin is representing the United States in men's singles skating at the Milan Olympics. He was born in December 2004 in the USA to a family of famous figure skaters, Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov. His parents once competed for Uzbekistan but later moved to the States.
To date, Ilia is a four-time US champion and a two-time world champion. As of the end of 2025, he ranked first in the world rankings of the International Skating Union.
Malinin has already made history as the first figure skater to successfully perform a quadruple Axel in official competitions — the most difficult jump, requiring 4.5 rotations in the air.
He is also the first and only athlete in history to perform all types of quad jumps on the international arena: Axel, Rittberger, Salchow, Lutz, Toe Loop, and Flip. Mastering this arsenal allows Ilia to score a colossal number of points, making him virtually unbeatable for competitors.
However, the real excitement during Malinin's performances, as The Wall Street Journal writes, is caused not only by his technical records but also by one specific element — the backflip on ice. This trick, which more closely resembles acrobatics from gymnastics or freestyle, was banned in figure skating for almost half a century. After it was first demonstrated at the 1976 Olympics, the element was deemed too dangerous and removed from the official list of permitted movements.
Some figure skaters, however, continued to perform it. Only in 2024 did the International Skating Union lift the direct ban: skaters are no longer penalized for the backflip, but no separate points are yet awarded for it.
Despite the fact that the backflip does not bring direct points and is associated with colossal risk, Malinin fundamentally included it in his programs. Preparation for this required special efforts: initially, the athlete trained with special safety harnesses to minimize the possibility of injury. Now the figure skater performs the element so confidently that it has become a spectacular final chord of his performances.
As the WSJ notes, his backflips, performed at immense speed with a flawless landing, literally captivate the audience, evoking both shock and incredible delight. It was Malinin's performance that secured the US team gold in the team event at these Olympics.
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