Ilia Malinin's Olympic backflip made history. But he's not the first to do it

U.S. figure skating phenom Ilia Malinin did a backflip in his Olympic debut, and another the next day. The controversial move was banned from competition for decades until 2024.

The Complicated And Controversial History Of Figure Skating’s Backflip

From Terry Kubicka and Surya Bonaly to Ilia Malinin, the banned figure skating backflip is finally back on Olympic ice — and is still stirring controversy.

Are backflips allowed in figure skating? What to know

American superstar and 2026 Olympic men's gold medal favorite Ilia Malinin peforms a backflip in his short program.

The history of figure skating’s most controversial trick — the backflip

This is the first Olympics to feature backflips in over 25 years.