China's Ice Dancers Under Investigation Following Displaying Toy Missile at Event
ISU officials are conducting an investigation after a pair of Chinese ice dancers were seen with an object resembling a toy ballistic missile at an international skating competition.
Television footage showed Ren Junfei and Xing Jianing sitting alongside a sizable prop shaped like a rocket marked “DF-61” while waiting for their scores at the “kiss and cry” zone on Saturday.
This model is a recently introduced Chinese-made land-based long-range weapon designed for carrying nuclear weapons, that had been unveiled during a national ceremony recently.
“The ISU have acknowledged that an inappropriate plush item appears to have been among those tossed onto the rink by spectators following a routine at the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Cup of China event,” the organization commented via a release.
“The soft toy was then held by the skaters after their performance. The ISU regrets this occurrence and will investigate further.”
Ren and Xing placed eighth of 10 pairs during the ice dancing competition, with the victory going to the American pair of the United States.
