<P> In autumn 1995, Bonaly competed in the inaugural ISU Champions Series . She finished third and fourth at her assignments, which was not enough to qualify to the seven - woman final . Ranked first in the short program and second in the free skate, Bonaly took silver behind Russia's Irina Slutskaya at the 1996 European Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria . She finished fifth at the 1996 World Championships in Edmonton, having placed seventh in the short where she fell on a triple lutz, and fifth in the free . She landed no more than four clean triples in any free skate during the season . </P> <P> In May 1996, Bonaly ruptured her achilles tendon while doing acrobatics . Due to the injury, she missed much of the following season . The French federation initially decided not to name her to the 1997 European Championships in Paris, believing that she lacked fitness, but Bonaly successfully appealed . She finished 9th overall after placing 6th in qualifying group B, 6th in the short program, and 10th in the free skate . She was not included in France's two - women team to the World Championships, passed over in favor of Vanessa Gusmeroli, the top French finisher at Europeans, and Laetitia Hubert who placed behind Bonaly at the same event . </P> <P> During the season, Bonaly was coached by Suzanne Bonaly and Tatiana Tarasova in Marlborough, United States . At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, Bonaly placed 6th in the short program . Unable to complete her planned routine or a successful triple lutz due to injury, she decided to perform a backflip landing on one blade during the free skate . Backflips had been banned since 1976 from competitions held under ISU rules . Bonaly received a deduction but was content with her decision to perform the move . She finished tenth in Nagano and retired from amateur competition after the event . </P> <P> Her skating clubs were CSG Pralognan and CSG Champigny . </P>

When were backflips made illegal in figure skating