Blades out after skaters collide
Figure skating’s ruling body is set to investigate claims that America’s Mariah Bell deliberately injured South Korean rival Lim Eun-soo during a warm-up at the world championships in Japan.
Korean officials said on Thursday they had lodged a formal complaint following the incident, in which Lim’s management agency alleged Bell kicked their skater, causing a cut to her leg while limbering up for the women’s short programme on Wednesday night.
The officials refused to speculate what action, if any, the International Skating Union might take, admitting it was difficult to prove intent on Bell’s part.
“At this stage we can’t conclude Bell caused the injury on purpose,” a Korea Skating Union official said.
Lim’s parents had also brought the clash to the body’s attention.
“It is hard to tell just by watching the video footage of the incident,” an official said.
Lim, 16, skating in her first senior world championships, was patched up before scoring a personal-best 72.91 points to place fifth in the short skate at Saitama, just ahead of Bell.
Social media lit up in South Korea in condemnation of Bell, 22, and the Skating Union was set to meet later on Thursday to discuss the claims, media and communications manager Selina Vanier said.
US skate officials were not immediately available for comment.
Lim’s All That Sports agency said there was reason to believe Bell’s act was deliberate, claiming Lim was skating close to the rink wall away from her rivals and the American collided with her from behind.
Lim and Bell both train under coach Rafael Arutyunyan and the Korean skater’s management alleged Bell had been bullying Lim for months leading up to the world championships, according to local media.
But many skating fans came out in support of Bell, while others called for calm.
“Why would a veteran skater like Bell injure someone during a public practice in front of hundreds of fans?” one said.
“None of the fans, who were taking notes, said anything about a collision,” another said.