Ilia Malinin Earns Olympic Award for His Sweet Moment at Milan Cortina Games

Despite not reaching the podium, Malinin made sure to congratulate the gold medal winner.

Ilia Malinin hugged Mikhail Shaidorov right after he won gold at the Winter Olympics, earning the American the IOC’s Fair Play Award. | Jiang Qiming/China News Service/VCG

Ilia Malinin quickly became one of the Milan Cortina Olympics’ biggest stars, on and off the ice, last month.

Even though the American fell short of reaching the podium in the men’s individual figure skating event despite being favored for gold, Malinin (who placed eighth) still went out of his way to congratulate Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov, who won the gold. After Shaidorov received his historic scores, Malinin immediately hugged his opponent and congratulated him for winning gold. It was a wholesome moment that stood out throughout the Olympics.

This moment has now resulted in Malinin earning the International Olympic Committee’s Fair Play Award for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Malinin was selected out of five finalists for showing immense sportsmanship during the Games. The public voted on the winner.

“Congratulating Mikhail wasn’t about the results, it was about the shared journey we take as athletes,” Malinin said, via a press release. “Knowing that fans worldwide connected with that moment means more to me than any medal.”

Ilia Malinin congratulating Mikhail Shaidorov after the free skate of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games ❤.

📸 Jared C. Tilton pic.twitter.com/Kh96fyO0zA

— Ilia Malinin Daily (@TheIliaSociety) February 14, 2026

Malinin had other high moments during the Winter Games. For starters, he helped Team USA win gold in the team event to start his run. Despite not medaling in the individual event, he was still invited to the Figure Skating Gala, and he performed a stunning routine that quickly went viral.

ILIA MALININ'S POWERFUL GALA SKATE FINISH. ⭐️ #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/ESCEF91Avz

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 21, 2026

There were low moments, too. After the individual event, Malinin opened up about his mental health struggles while competing in his first Olympics. Superstar athletes like Tom Brady, Simone Biles and Steph Curry all reached out to him to send support after his social media post.

“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” Malinin said during the Winter Games. “Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure. It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story.”

What’s next for Ilia Malinin

We definitely haven’t seen the last of Malinin. This month, the 21-year-old will compete in the World Championships in Prague. Malinin won back-to-back world championships (2024, ‘25) and four straight U.S. championships (‘23 to ‘26).

“For the future, there’s so [many plans],” Malinin said after the Olympics ended. “No matter how these Olympics went, I’m really looking forward to not only being the best skater I can be, but also pushing the sport and changing the sport to have a completely different view on the world. ... My next goal is to have a redemption skate at the World Championships. After that, just enjoy the stress of the Olympic season and it will be finally over.”

Malinin is eyeing an Olympic return in 2030 when he’ll be 25. He’ll skate in various competitions before then, too. He’s won gold in the past four U.S. Championships, for instance.

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