China's Ice Dancers Face Probe After Holding Toy Missile at Competition
ISU officials are conducting an investigation after a pair of Chinese ice dancers appeared with what looked like a toy ballistic missile during an international skating competition.
Television video captured Ren Junfei and Xing Jianing waiting with a sizable prop shaped like a rocket marked “DF-61” while waiting for their scores in the “kiss and cry” area during the event.
This model represents a new Chinese-made ground-launched intercontinental ballistic missile capable of transporting atomic warheads, that had been unveiled at a military parade recently.
“The ISU have acknowledged that an inappropriate soft toy seems to have been among those thrown on to the rink by spectators after a routine during the competition,” the ISU stated via a release.
The item was then handled by the skaters who had just performed. The ISU apologizes for the incident and will look into it more deeply.”
The duo finished in eighth place out of ten teams in the ice dance event, which was won by Madison Chock and Evan Bates from the US.
