Gold-winning Olympic skater faces political backlash and copyright issue over music

American figure skater Amber Glenn, fresh from securing an Olympic gold medal in the team event, has found her triumph quickly overshadowed by a fresh controversy concerning music copyright, adding to recent social media backlash.

Canadian artist Seb McKinnon, who records under the moniker CLANN, took to social media on Sunday to object to the unauthorized use of his song "The Return." Glenn has incorporated the track into her free skate routine for the past two years without incident, but its global broadcast during the Olympics prompted McKinnon’s complaint.

"So just found out an Olympic figure skater used one of my songs without permission for their routine. It aired all over the world ... what? Is that usual practice for the Olympics?" McKinnon posted on X shortly after the team competition concluded.

Figure skaters are indeed required to obtain permission for their chosen music, though the process is notoriously complex. Copyright ownership can reside with a record label, the artist themselves, or often involve multiple parties. Skaters frequently blend various musical cuts, further complicating matters. The involvement of third-party companies like ClicknClear, which aim to streamline permissions, underscores the murky and nuanced nature of copyright in the sport.

According to McKinnon, his agreement with his label stipulates: "The deal I have with my label is that I alone can give the OK to license my music."

Glenn was unavailable for comment on the music issue early on Monday. She had planned a day off from training before departing Milan to prepare elsewhere for the individual women's event, which commences on Feb. 17, with the short program.

Messages left by The Associated Press with U.S. Figure Skating regarding Glenn's copyright problem have not yet been returned.

This incident marks the second controversy involving Glenn at the Milan Cortina Games.

The outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist revealed she had received threats on social media after stating during a pre-Olympics press conference that the queer community was enduring a "hard time" amidst the political climate under President Donald Trump.

"I was disappointed because I’ve never had so many people wish me harm before, just for being me and speaking about being decent — human rights and decency," Glenn said on Sunday night, sporting an LGBTQ+ pin on her team jacket during the medal ceremony.

"So that was really disappointing, and I do think it kind of lowered that excitement for this."

Copyright issues were historically rare in figure skating, as the International Skating Union (ISU) prohibited music with vocals, and most classical compositions are in the public domain. However, when these rules were relaxed in 2014, allowing modern music, artists began to demand compensation for their work.

The issue escalated at the 2022 Beijing Olympics when an indie artist, whose cover of "House of the Rising Sun" was used by American pairs skaters Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, objected. The ensuing lawsuit prompted the ISU to intervene and develop systems to help skaters avoid copyright infringement claims.

"It's never been an issue and then suddenly it is, and I don't understand why," Glenn told the AP ahead of the Winter Games.

"I understand there was a big upset at the last Olympics because some artist — I’m sorry, they decided to be (jerks). Like, they couldn’t just appreciate this Olympic team competing? It wasn’t even their song to begin with; it was a cover. It’s not like we’re a TV show and playing music in the background for an emotional scene. It just feels like a cash grab for different companies, and it’s really upsetting that they can’t just appreciate that their music has inspired something creative."

Justin Dillon, director of high performance for U.S. Figure Skating, stated that the governing body has endeavoured to assist its skaters in avoiding copyright claims. It remains unclear what role, if any, the organisation played in approving Glenn's music.

Numerous fans and fellow skaters have swiftly come to Glenn's defence. Retired Canadian pairs skater Meagan Duhamel, a two-time Olympian, commented, "I’d be so honored that someone wants to skate to my music and give the music some amazing exposure. I used a piece of music for the 2018 Olympics and the artist was so excited she flew to the Olympics to listen and watch it live."

Similarly, after Nathan Chen won gold at the Beijing Games with a free skate set to "Rocket Man," Elton John effusively praised the American’s performance, later collaborating with Chen on a music video.

Alysa Liu, a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. team, underscored the importance of music to the sport: "We really rely on our music. Without music, we’re not really our sport."