Copyright issues affect figure skating at Milan Cortina Olympics

Copyright clearances have forced skaters at the Milan Cortina Olympics to seek last-minute approvals or change planned music, and officials say the permission process remains complex despite efforts to help.

Copyright problems have disrupted preparations for some figure skaters at the Milan Cortina Olympics, with athletes racing to obtain approvals or altering programs at short notice. Organizers and team officials say the difficulty stems from modern music being protected by multiple rights holders and requiring different licenses for venue, broadcast and online use. The International Skating Union and national bodies have set up systems and partnerships intended to simplify permissions, but the process is still described as unclear by athletes and officials. There is no single, scheduled legal step reported that will resolve the broader clearance uncertainties. Key details: - Several skaters faced last-minute music issues: Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate obtained permission to use music from Minions, while Petr Gumennik had to change his short program after permission was not secured. - The ISU lifted its ban on lyrics in 2014, which increased use of modern music that is not in the public domain and therefore requires clearance. - Copyright in a given track can involve multiple rightsholders and separate licenses for performance, broadcast and online use, complicating approvals across international broadcasts. - The ISU is working with a clearinghouse called ClicknClear and some national federations have coordinated with organizations such as ASCAP and BMI to manage permissions. Summary: Copyright clearance problems have caused disruptions to skaters' programs and remain an ongoing issue during the competition. Efforts by the ISU, a third-party clearing service and national bodies are in place to help, but how and when the broader permission issues will be resolved is undetermined at this time.