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Shaidorov’s Panda Gala Goes Viral as Malinin Addresses Pressure and NBC Faces Replay Backlash

The gala reframed the conversation around athlete well-being after an upset-filled figure skating week.

Overview

  • Olympic men’s champion Mikhail Shaidorov followed his upset gold with a crowd-pleasing gala in a full panda suit, landing a triple jump before greeting Jackie Chan rinkside.
  • Ilia Malinin delivered an emotional ‘Fear’ program about social‑media pressure, capped by his backflip, calling the skate an extension of the emotions he has felt this season.
  • Malinin, the pre-Games favorite, finished eighth in the men’s event after errors on the free skate, while Alysa Liu won women’s gold with a clean, high-energy free program.
  • NBC/Peacock removed figure skating replays, including the exhibition, from its streaming platform, prompting sharp criticism from fans on social media.
  • Looking ahead, Malinin said he is targeting redemption at the World Championships in Prague next month.