China's Ice Dancers Under Probe After Displaying Toy Missile at Competition
ISU officials have launched a formal inquiry after two Chinese figure skaters were seen with what looked like a replica weapon during an international skating competition.
Television footage showed the skaters waiting alongside a large toy shaped like a rocket marked “DF-61” as they awaited their scores in the “kiss and cry” zone during the event.
The DF-61 is a new China-produced land-based long-range weapon designed for transporting atomic warheads, that had been unveiled at a military parade last month.
“The ISU is aware of an unsuitable soft toy seems 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 ISU commented via a release.
“The soft toy was then held by the skaters who had just performed. We apologizes for the incident and will look into it more deeply.”
The duo finished in eighth place of 10 pairs in the ice dance event, with the victory going to Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States.
