NBC’s Olympics president Gary Zenkel just fired back at Team USA skating sensation Ilia Malinin after the “Quad God” sparked a fresh wave of controversy with his comments about media pressure.
After an error-filled free skate that cost him the gold medal on February 13, Malinin suggested in multiple interviews that intense media coverage had “overwhelmed” him.
Zenkel responded to the backlash, defending NBC’s long-standing strategy of building star-focused narratives during major sporting events, including the Olympics.
After missing out on individual gold at the Winter Olympics, figure skater Ilia Malinin indirectly blamed intense media coverage for the loss
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Ilia Malinin lost the individual gold medal during the Men’s Singles Free Skate event, despite securing gold for Team USA in the Team Event with a strong performance.
In the days leading up to the Men’s Singles, media and fans widely expected Malinin to dominate, making him one of the most heavily covered athletes of the Games.
However, a series of uncharacteristic technical errors, including two falls, caused him to drop from first place to eighth overall.
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Addressing his disappointing finish during an appearance on Today on Tuesday, February 17, the 21-year-old admitted the pressure played a major role.
He said, “I think all of this pressure, all of the media, and being the Olympic gold hopeful, was too much. Honestly, it’s not a pleasant feeling. The most honest way to say it is it’s just a lot on you, just so many eyes, so much attention.”
“It really can get to you if you’re not ready to fully embrace it, so I think that might be one of the mistakes I made going into that free skate was I was not ready to handle that to a full extent.”
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In a separate interview with ESPN that same day, the Olympian added, “I thought that all I needed to do was go out there and trust the process that I’ve always been doing with every competition. But of course it’s not like any other competition. It’s the Olympics.”
“It was really just something that overwhelmed me, and I just felt like I had no control,” Malinin concluded.
Addressing the 21-year-old Olympian’s comments, NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel fired back with a pointed response
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His remarks sparked a wave of criticism aimed at the event’s media coverage, especially NBC, the official U.S. media rights holder for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Many netizens argued that heavy promotion places an unfair mental burden on young athletes.
One Reddit user noted, “Also, nbc and other media… stop presenting someone as ‘undefeatable.’ That kind of pressure isn’t healthy for anyone, and is unfair to both the athlete themselves and their competitors.”
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A second added, “I was thinking this during the lead up to the Olympics. I mean his face was everywhere, at an age that most of us are still just trying to figure ourselves out and get through every day. The pressure was so great! Plus I think NBC missed an opportunity to highlight the other really great athletes on Team USA.”
“Unfortunately, NBC like any media outlet is going to push the narratives and show the clips that drive viewership. I really wish that more sports had intelligent commentary,” wrote a disappointed third user.
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“What are the bets nbc will do no reflection and have no behavior change after this… They’re going to play clips of him falling and crying every time his name is even mentioned for the rest of his life.”
Amid the backlash aimed at the network, NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel issued a response to critics.
In an interview with Sportico, Zenkel told interviewer Sara Germano, “All of that [production], of course, is entirely voluntary. Was there a discussion about, ‘is this too much for you?’ Because it puts too much pressure on him? Not to my knowledge, no.”
“Instead of all of this PR Ilia better had silently accept what happened and not call himself God again,” fumed one social media user
Ilia Malinin, Team USA’s favorite for a gold medal in men’s figure skating, finished eighth in the event last week after stumbling throughout his performance. But, he tells CBS News’ @TheKellyOGrady he still wouldn’t pare down his difficult routine despite this experience.
“I… pic.twitter.com/sZfkIjEMls
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 18, 2026
“I will tell you that our approach to the ‘before,’ which is to introduce the American audience to the athletes who are going to compete, to try to engage the audience in their story, the mantra is ‘make them care,’ has been the same for decades.”
Zenkel emphasized that the nature of the Olympics itself is the primary driver of pressure, rather than the network’s coverage.
Zenkel continued, “It’s on that [Olympic] stage that they’re ultimately, and maybe in their minds, measured. And I’ve heard unbelievable statements from athletes that have competed in the Olympics say, just how extraordinary it is to be in that moment, the greatest on the planet.”
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“I think the Olympics places an enormous amount of pressure. Does NBC exacerbate that pressure up to the point where they’re unable to perform at their true potential? I don’t know. The formula hasn’t changed in decades.”
Zenkel also referenced Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, noting that he “participated in all the stuff that you’re describing, at least the version of that that existed in 2000 through the end of his journey.”
“So I’m going say I don’t think so. And by the way, they’re getting a lot of attention from other [media]. And then, of course, Ilia’s desire to participate with us even after the free skate I think is entirely his call.”
Zenkel argued that media coverage is a decades-long practice, and several athletes have won record-breaking medals despite the pressure
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By pointing out that Phelps received similar superstar treatment throughout his Olympic career and still went on to win 28 Olympic medals, including 23 gold, Zenkel suggested that NBC’s coverage is not the primary reason an athlete may fail to perform.
Reportedly, Malinin is not the only athlete who has spoken openly about the pressures of media attention and how it can affect performance.
American artistic gymnast Simone Biles has frequently addressed the “unwanted” nature of constant media scrutiny and broadcast strategies.
During the 2026 Winter Games, she criticized the “Kiss-and-Cry” broadcast tactic, telling USA Today that while athletes are “used to it,” they are “not huge fans” of cameras capturing their most vulnerable low moments for television.
Biles also reached out to Malinin following his gold medal loss via Instagram messages and offered her support.
Later, on February 17, the two athletes met in person in Milan, where they shared a warm hug and posed for photos together.
The NBC Olympics president’s fiery response turned several netizens and supporters against Ilia, with many accusing him of making “excuses”
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