In the glittering Milano Ice Skating Arena at the 2026 Winter Olympics, American sensation Ilia Malinin, the self-proclaimed “Quad God,” delivered a performance that etched his name into history – and ignited a firestorm of debate. During the team event men’s short program on February 7, the 21-year-old phenom executed a flawless one-footed backflip, the first legal one at the Olympics in nearly 50 years. The crowd erupted, fans worldwide hit replay, and social media exploded. But now, a newly surfaced video from an unprecedented angle has left spectators stunned, questioning: Was this gravity-defying stunt truly legitimate?

The backflip, once the sport’s ultimate taboo, traces its ban to 1977. American skater Terry Kubicka landed the last Olympic one in 1976 at Innsbruck, only for the International Skating Union (ISU) to outlaw it the following year over safety fears – the risk of head-first crashes on unforgiving ice was deemed too high. Pioneers like France’s Surya Bonaly defied the rule in 1998, landing one on one foot during her final Olympic skate as a protest, earning applause but a deduction and no medal. Fast-forward to 2024: the ISU lifted the ban, reclassifying backflips as non-scoring “choreographic elements.” No points, no penalty – just pure spectacle. Malinin, born to Olympic skaters Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, seized the moment, capping his routine with the move after nailing a quad flip and other high-difficulty jumps.

Malinin’s flip wasn’t just legal; it was perfection. He spun backward, twisted mid-air, and stuck the landing on one skate, sending shockwaves through the arena. Team USA clinched gold thanks in part to his 98.00 score, despite placing second in the segment. Yet, this fresh video – captured from a low, side-on vantage point unseen in official broadcasts – reveals intricacies that have fans in uproar. Slow-motion frames show Malinin’s blade grazing the ice pre-rotation in a way some claim mimics a “somersault entry,” potentially blurring lines with prohibited moves. Critics argue it lacks the “control and precision” ISU rules demand for validity, while purists decry it as circus antics undermining figure skating’s elegance. “This angle changes everything – was it a real flip or a cheat code?” one viral post rants.

Legally? Crystal clear: yes. ISU regulations explicitly allow it now, with zero base value but potential artistic boosts. Malinin earns no technical edge – his arsenal of seven quads in practice (including the only ratified quad Axel ever) does that. The controversy amplifies his legend: undefeated for over two years pre-Olympics, world record holder, he’s revolutionizing the sport. Individual gold beckons, though a later free skate stumble dropped him to eighth, fueling redemption talk. This “forbidden” flip, once booed off ice, now symbolizes evolution – risky, rebellious, revolutionary. As debates rage online, one truth endures: Malinin didn’t just skate; he shattered ceilings, proving innovation triumphs over tradition. The Quad God’s reign continues, legal or not.