China's Figure Skaters Face Probe Following Holding Toy Missile at Event
The International Skating Union have launched an investigation following a pair of Chinese figure skaters appeared holding an object resembling a replica weapon during an international skating competition.
Broadcast video captured Ren Junfei and Xing Jianing sitting with a sizable prop shaped like a rocket marked “DF-61” while waiting for their scores at the “kiss and cry” area on Saturday.
This model represents a recently introduced Chinese-made land-based long-range weapon capable of carrying nuclear weapons, that had been displayed during a national ceremony recently.
“The ISU have acknowledged of an unsuitable plush item appears to have been one of the objects thrown on to the ice by spectators following a performance at the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Cup of China event,” the organization stated in an emailed statement.
The item was subsequently held by the athletes after their performance. We apologizes for the incident and will investigate further.”
Ren and Xing finished in eighth place out of ten teams in the ice dance event, with the victory going to the American pair from the US.
