Chinese Ice Dancers Face Probe After Holding Toy Missile during Competition
The International Skating Union have launched a formal inquiry following a pair of Chinese ice dancers appeared with what looked like a replica weapon at a grand prix figure skating event.
Television video captured Ren Junfei and Xing Jianing sitting with a sizable prop shaped like a rocket marked “DF-61” while waiting for the judges' results in the “kiss and cry” area on Saturday.
This model is a recently introduced China-produced land-based intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear weapons, that had been unveiled at a military parade last month.
Officials is aware of an unsuitable soft toy appears to have been among those thrown on to the ice by audience members following a routine at the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Cup of China event,” the organization stated via a release.
“The soft toy was subsequently handled by the athletes who had just performed. We regrets the incident and will look into it more deeply.”
Ren and Xing finished in eighth place out of ten teams during the ice dancing competition, which was won by the American pair of the United States.
