Of course it would take those mischievous Minions to thrust what has become a yearslong musical nightmare for figure skaters into the global spotlight just days before they step onto the ice for the Milano Cortina Olympics.Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate revealed this week that the music he has used all season, a medley from the animated comedy film “Minions” from Illumination Entertainment, could not be used in the biggest event of his career.“I was informed that I am no longer permitted to use this program due to copyright clearance issues,” Sabate explained Monday, four days before the opening ceremony. “I will face this challenge head-on and do everything I can to make the best of the situation.”Sabate is not considered a medal contender, but he had won over crowds with his Minions program, where he dresses in a yellow T-shirt and blue overalls to invoke those cheeky characters. But now, the 26-year-old will have to turn to one of his old programs when he takes the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena for the men’s short program next Tuesday.Even that is not so simple: Sabate’s short program last season was set to music by the Bee Gees, and he used the same music for this year’s free skate. That means he would be in the unenviable position of skating twice to the same music.For years, skaters never had copyright issues because music with lyrics was verboten. And most standard fare, such as classical music, was considered to be public domain, meaning it could be used or modified freely and without permission. In 2014, the International Skating Union relaxed its rules to allow words in music, part of a push toward bringing the sport into the modern era. But most modern music is not part of the public domain, and that led to issues during the …
