Ilia Malinin hasn't lost everything. The American skater, a strong favorite for gold, saw his hopes dashed with two falls on the ice in Milan during the individual event. He received the Olympic Fair Play Trophy from Milan-Cortina 2026 by the International Fair Play Committee (CIFP), in partnership with the IOC.
« Ilia Malinin was honored for his remarkable sporting spirit during the men's individual event. After a difficult competition that saw him fall from first to eighth place, he managed to put aside his personal disappointment to go warmly congratulate and celebrate gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov "The body emphasizes. One new voting record was beaten, with fans mobilizing even more than during the Paris 2024 Games.
Congratulations to Ilia Malinin on receiving the #MilanoCortina2026 Fair Play Award!
- IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) March 5, 2026
His sportsmanship in celebrating gold medallist Mikhail Shaidorov exemplifies the true spirit of the Olympic Movement.
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« Going to congratulate Mikhail Shaidorov had nothing to do with the results; it was about recognizing the journey we've taken together as athletes. Knowing that fans from all over the world shared in that moment means more to me than any medal. " reacted Malinin, who was competing against figure skater Amber Glenn, curler Julie Zelingrova, figure skater Kagiyama Yuma, the Italian and American women's curling teams, and the Canadian women's ice hockey team.
According to Kirsty Coventry, " Ilia Malinin's gesture reminded us all that Excellence is not measured solely by a place on the podiumbut also to the respect and solidarity we show towards our adversaries in the most difficult moments. unprecedented mobilization of supporters The trophy surrounding it testifies to the success of the Milano Cortina 2026 Games and the universal appeal of Olympic values. »
