Chinese Figure Skaters Under Probe After Displaying Prop Weapon during Competition
ISU officials have launched a formal inquiry following two Chinese figure skaters appeared with an object resembling a toy ballistic missile at a grand prix figure skating event.
Television footage showed Ren Junfei and Xing Jianing sitting with a sizable prop shaped like a missile labeled “DF-61” while waiting for the judges' results in the “kiss and cry” area on Saturday.
This model represents a new China-produced land-based long-range weapon capable of transporting atomic warheads, which was unveiled during a national ceremony last month.
“The ISU have acknowledged of an unsuitable plush item seems to have been one of the objects thrown on to the rink by spectators after a routine during the competition,” the organization commented in an emailed statement.
The item was subsequently handled by the skaters after their performance. We apologizes for the incident and will look into it more deeply.”
Ren and Xing placed in eighth place of 10 pairs in the ice dance event, which was won by Madison Chock and Evan Bates from the US.
