Chinese Figure Skaters Under Probe Following Holding Prop Weapon at Competition
The International Skating Union are conducting a formal inquiry after a pair of Chinese ice dancers appeared holding an object resembling a toy ballistic missile during an international skating competition.
Television video showed the skaters waiting with a sizable prop shaped like a rocket marked “DF-61” while waiting for the judges' results at the “kiss and cry” area during the event.
This model represents a new Chinese-made land-based long-range weapon capable of transporting atomic warheads, that had been unveiled during a national ceremony recently.
Officials is aware of an unsuitable plush item appears to have been among those tossed onto the ice by spectators after a performance during the competition,” the ISU stated in an emailed statement.
“The soft toy was subsequently held by the athletes who had just performed. We regrets this occurrence and will look into it more deeply.”
The duo placed eighth out of ten teams during the ice dancing competition, with the victory going to Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States.
