Figure skater Ilia Malinin blames ‘vile online hatred' for devastating Olympic loss

Ilia Malinin called out “vile online hatred” in his first public statement after his Winter Olympics 2026 loss. In an Instagram post Monday he admitted he’s been facing “endless insurmountable pressure,” writing that “On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside.” The post paired clips of past victories with a shot of Malinin holding his head after Friday’s event.

Malinin had been the favorite but fell twice, finished eighth with a score of 264.49 and lost the gold to Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov. The video flashed “February 21, 2026,” teasing something coming that day and hinting at the exhibition gala on Feb. 21 where Malinin is set to be involved.

Fans responded with supportive comments such as, “True champions aren’t just those who win gold medals. You are simply a champion of humanity,” and “ILIA YOU ARE ENOUGH! ALWAYS!” After the competition Malinin told NBC, “I blew it,” and said he was “overwhelmed” when he went on the ice.

Kazakhstan

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