Chinese Figure Skaters Face Investigation Following Holding Toy Missile at Event

The International Skating Union are conducting a formal inquiry after a pair of Chinese figure skaters appeared holding what looked like a replica weapon during an international skating competition.

Broadcast video captured the skaters sitting with a large toy in the form of a missile labeled “DF-61” as they awaited the judges' results at the “kiss and cry” zone on Saturday.

This model is a new Chinese-made ground-launched intercontinental ballistic missile designed for transporting atomic warheads, that had been unveiled at a military parade recently.

“The ISU have acknowledged of an unsuitable soft toy appears to have been one of the objects thrown on to the ice by spectators following a routine at the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Cup of China event,” the ISU commented via a release.

The item was subsequently held by the athletes who had just performed. We apologizes for this occurrence and will look into it more deeply.”

Ren and Xing placed in eighth place out of ten teams during the ice dancing competition, with the victory going to the American pair of the United States.