US figure skater Amber Glenn faces backlash over politics and copyright issues after Olympic gold

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By DAVE SKRETTA
Updated 4:38 AM CST, February 9, 2026

MILAN (AP) — On the same day Amber Glenn won Olympic gold as part of the team event, and stepped away from social media due to backlash over her comments on politics and the LGBTQ+ community, the American figure skater ended up with another headache.

Canadian artist Seb McKinnon, who produces music under the name CLANN, took to social media late Sunday to object to the use of his song “The Return,” which Glenn had used in her free skate — and has been using for the past two years without issue.

Snip: The outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist said she received threats on social media after saying during a pre-Olympics press conference that the queer community is going through a “hard time” amid the political climate under President Donald Trump.

“I was disappointed because I’ve never had so many people wish me harm before, just for being me and speaking ‍about being decent — human rights and decency,” Glenn said Sunday night, wearing an LGBTQ+ pin on her team jacket during the team medal ceremony.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/milan-cortina-olympics-figure-skating-copyright-0d46df364ff67d430b394e40089926f0

---

I have an LGBTQ+ family member.

[twodogsbarking]

1. I too have a family member. Actually two counting the son and son-in-law. Great guys.

[tanyev]

2. Oh wow, I assumed that competitive skating would have procedures in place for getting music permissions.

Guess I was wrong. Seems like the international exposure would be a huge asset, though. I fast forward through lots of the skating coverage, but I rewind and go back if I miss the caption at the beginning that tells me what music they are skating to.

[underpants]

6. This is the third copyright issue I've heard about in this Olympics

A Russian (Independent) and Spanish skater as well.

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/47867171/russian-figure-skater-changes-olympic-music-copyright

[31st Street Bridge]

3. MAGAt hate and ignorance are crimes against humanity

Every day.

[highplainsdem]

4. Good for her for the political statements, but shame on her for thinking artists shouldn't care about their

music being used without permission.

One of her comments from the article:

"It just feels like a cash grab for different companies, and it’s really upsetting that they can’t just appreciate that their music has inspired something creative."

So if an artist's music inspired a skater, they should "just appreciate" that the skater exploited it, even if the artist didn't know it was being used, wasn't asked for permission, and wasn't compensated for its use?

What an arrogant, condescending attitude.

SHE should have shown appreciation for the music that inspired her by making sure they knew she was using it. In fact, since it inspired her, she really should have been in touch with them personally to express that appreciation.

[purr-rat beauty]

5. Beautiful song, she should have asked permission amongst other things

It's bad enough the pResident is using music without permission, we don't need our athletes doing the same

thank you for standing up for LGBTQ+ though!

[radical noodle]

7. According to google

It's required by the Olympics that music rights must be obtained. So why didn't they do it?

[quakerboy]

16. They did. the "Artist" in question didnt do his due dilligence before taking to twitter.

Turns out his record had already given legal permission for song use (with his express permission), which he has now acknowledged via twitter. Being charitable, it was part of a deal that he signed off on but apparently didn't understand would provide rights to use in this context. Being less charitable, he seems like the kinda guy who would take the chance to neg on a successful woman for a bit of publicity.

[radical noodle]

18. Thanks!

Good to know it was his error.

[eppur_se_muova]

19. Kick this way up -- sounds like the guy gave some kind of blanket permission and then said ..

"wait a mint, I didn't know queers were gonna skate t'mah music ! I'm postin' on X !"

But that's just my impression.

[JT45242]

8. Can't believe the US Olympic committee or overall OC does not handle this

Much less the broadcast partners.

This was a big problem from Moonlighting and WKRP in Cincinnati for trying to rerun in syndication. You would think NBC which owns all the tv Olympic rights would have lawyers on this if the US Olympic committee didn't

[SpankMe]

9. Glenn is probably safe regarding use of the song

Google terms like 'Seb McKinnon Olympics music' and several sources will confirm that the Olympics requires music to be cleared before use. The Olympics itself is terribly litigious about its own copyrights, so they are sensitive to stuff like this. Without clearance, an artist might be able to sue the Olympics itself since they, too, are benefitting from use of the music.

Theories I've seen online are that McKinnon's label cleared the music years ago and McKinnon himself may not have known. But, McKinnon - a known Canadian version of a Trumper - heard about Glenn's comments and decided to have a MAGA tantrum.

I've never heard of an artist objecting to use of their music during Olympics performances before. This is a first, I think. So it must be a political thing.

Good on Glenn for using her platform for a gentle tap against LGBT hate. Fuck on McKinnon for having and aneurism over it.

[Easterncedar]

10. Yes. It's absurd to imagine the music wasn't cleared

You can't record your kid's dance recital because of music licensing

[tanyev]

11. Ah, that would make sense.

Hard to believe he just now became aware his song was being used.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

12. The copyright issue seems like a huge black eye for Samuel Auxier--the...

...current president of U.S. Figure Skating.

Ensuring music used in competitions is correctly licensed and paid for should be one of their major functions in support of these athletes--most of whom are quite young. Glenn herself is only 26, and even that makes her the oldest American woman to qualify for an Olympic singles team since 1928.

Things like how to license the music you use in competition is something the organizing body should be very proficient in and facilitate so these young athletes are not having to navigate that on their own. They have lawyers and do some licensing of their own for competitions.

In June of 2024 they announced a new policy:
https://skatewithaimee.com/blog/f/us-figure-skatings-controversial-music-announcement-policy#:~:text=U.S.%20Figure%20Skating%20has%20partnered,this%20is%20for%20your%20protection.

If you read that you can see how complicated it is--restaurant and bar owners can attest. I'm actually surprised they seemed so far behind the times on this issue. Jackson Haines introduced the pairing of music with skating movement back in the 1860s, so this is not a new issue by any means.

Let's say you want to skate to Shake It Off by Taylor Swift. I know a lot of you probably want to, and good news because as ASCAP controls 66.68% and BMI controls 33.34%, that adds up to 100%. Plus it has a reconciled check mark. According to Soundview, you're good.

Let's say you want to skate to one of my favorite songs, New Sensation by INXS. Well, that might be an issue because as ASCAP controls part of it, but another party other than BMI controls the rest. The rights to that song still need to be secured. If you wanted that song, I would have to tell you to choose a different one, or you can use something called ClicknClear in an attempt to obtain the appropriate license.

https://skatewithaimee.com/blog/f/us-figure-skatings-controversial-music-announcement-policy#:~:text=U.S.%20Figure%20Skating%20has%20partnered,this%20is%20for%20your%20protection.

An interesting aside about Amber Glenn is how much her upbringing would belie the common MAGA narrative about culture, education, and LGBTQ+ people:

Glenn was born October 28, 1999, in Plano, Texas.[5] Her father, Richard, is a police officer[6] and she has a younger sister named Brooke.[7] She identifies as bisexual and pansexual,[8] and is the first openly LGBTQ women's singles skater on Team USA.[9][10] Glenn was homeschooled from the second grade until her senior year of high school.[11]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Glenn

It isn't at all surprising, but it is interesting given the demographic. Not that MAGA cares....

[orleans]

13. thanks for that skatewithaimee link. i kept thinking why doesn't olympics have contract with ascap & bmi

it wasn't *that* long ago that local park districts used to pay (i think it was) an annual fee to ascap for use for dance recitals & other events
i don't know if they're still doing that

[quakerboy]

15. The black eye is reversed, if anything

Turns out his record had already given legal permission for song use, which he has now acknowledged via twitter. Being charitable, it was part of a deal that he signed off on but apparently didnt understand would provide rights to use in this context. Being less charitable, he seems like the kinda guy who would take the chance to neg on a successful woman for a bit of publicity.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

17. Yeah, I also wondered if that would turn out the be the case. And...

...being even less charitable: he's not doing it for publicity but because he's a LGBTQ+aphobe....

He was involved in the "Canada convoy protest"--a series of protests and blockades across Canada in early 2022, initially organized to oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers.

Ottawa residents reported numerous incidents in which convoy protesters physically assaulted them, or threatened rape or death for wearing masks.[167] A protester threatened to stab a 16-year-old employee at a Tim Hortons in Centretown, after being informed that patrons must wear masks.[168] Convoy supporters physically attacked an Ottawa pastor because he was wearing a mask, and they routinely urinated on his church. The Ottawa People’s Commission documented many alleged hate crimes, including an incident in which an Ottawa resident of Asian ancestry was beaten by three convoy supporters after being asked to perform a dragon dance.[169] In a separate incident, two convoy supporters yelled anti-Asian slurs at an employee of a downtown ice cream shop who was wearing a mask while walking to work; the two men then threw the employee to the ground. Because of safety concerns, the shop closed for an extended period of time.[170]

A video circulated showing protesters appropriating First Nations drumming while dancing, drinking beer, and chanting "yabba dabba doo" and "fuck Trudeau".[171] Senator and Mi'kmaq leader Brian Francis tweeted: "I am disgusted, appalled and saddened. This blatant act of racism must be vehemently condemned by all. Drumming is sacred to all First Nations. Our ways of life should never be mimicked, mocked and appropriated for political or other gain."[172] The Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation, whose traditional unceded territory includes the city of Ottawa, issued a statement condemning protesters who held an Indigenous pipe ceremony and set up a tepee in the city's Confederation Park without permission of the First Nations on February 2.[173]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_convoy_protest

While he complained bitterly about being called an anti-vaxxer and racist for supporting the right-wing movement, I do not see evidence of him condemning their actions....

[quakerboy]

20. Both. It can be both

I mean, being a dirtbag and an attention seeker are not mutually exclusive.

[PhylliPretzel]

14. RE: I have an LGBTQ+ family member.

We all do, whether or not MAGAts will acknowledge it. It is so sad that some gays folks can't come out to their families because of the hatred.