Ilia Malinin shows the “inevitable danger” between Olympic pressure and online hate

Ilia Malinin, Team USA’s star skater “Quad God” and current world champion, shared a video on social media Monday that includes the highlights, and some lowlights, of his competition so far 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy – directly addressing the immense pressure athletes face at the top of their sport.

Malinin posted the video three days after finishing a disappointing eighth in the men’s individual event at the Milano Cortina Winter Games. I am very honored to win the gold medal in this event, Malinin fell many times and failed to perform his signature quadruple axel in the free skirt portion of the competition.

After failing to enter the podium, Malinin admitted the pressure of participating in the Olympics, but said he was proud to finish.

“What I know is that it wasn’t my best skate, and it was certainly something I didn’t expect. And it’s done, so I can’t go back and change it, even though I’d like to,” Malinin told reporters after his performance on Friday.

On Monday, Malinin shared this video on his Instagram page that included photos of his victories – including his gold medal at a team event last week – he was paired with a black and white photo of himself with his head in his hands.

The video teases that a “version of the story” will come on Saturday, when he’s scheduled to skate again in a parade at the end of the Games, but didn’t give any other details.

“On the biggest stage in the world, those who seem strong may still be fighting invisible battles inside,” Malinin, 21, said Monday in a message accompanying his Instagram video. “Even your happiest memories can end up being tainted by noise. The horrendous online hatred invades the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane amid the endless insurmountable pressure. Everything builds as these moments flash before your eyes, leading to the inevitable crash.”

Given that pressure, Team USA says it aims to equip athletes with mental health tools before they even compete.

Dr. Jessica Bartley, the executive director of psychological services for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, told CBS News that the pressure on the athletes when they reach the level of the Games is on a different level because the event comes to an end after four years, and the size of the crowd and the stadiums compared to other competitions.

He says the focus of the team leaders is to prepare the first Olympians, so they at least know what to expect.

“We’re trying to bring together veterans, who have been there, who can talk to them,” he told CBS News. “So, it may sound like it’s the first time, but we’re going through a lot of the nuances of what this will look like before it happens.”

But Gracie Gold, a former US figure skater and Olympic bronze medalist who has openly shared her struggles with mental health, said without any preparation, when the lights come on and you step out in front of crowds, it can be an isolating experience — and that’s especially powerful in times when things don’t go according to plan and expectations.

“You’re kind of alone,” he told CBS News. “Sometimes I call it the aquarium effect, where you’re like, in a tank, and everybody likes, you’re staring. When things start to go wrong, that’s not a good place to calm down.”

Gold said there is no right or wrong way to handle the kind of situation Malin found himself in on Friday. The right approach, he said, is whatever will make the athlete feel better and, more importantly, feel safer too.

Malinin said it will compete in the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships, which will be held in Prague.