On November 7, at the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Shenzhen, the women’s singles competition, 21-year-old Japanese skater Mone Chiba emerged victorious, securing the gold medal. However, the awarding ceremony took an unexpected turn when a group of spectators, identified as “Little Pink,” began loudly heckling and hurling insults, including demands for her to “get off the podium” and “refund tickets.” Some even resorted to using Japanese to insult her, causing Chiba to shed tears. The incident was captured on video, which has since drawn significant attention from the international sports community and online users.
On November 6, Chiba performed her short program, earning a score of 76.08, placing her in the lead. The following day, during the free skate segment, she skated to Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” and scored 148.40 points, bringing her total score to 224.48 points and clinching the gold in women’s singles figure skating.
The silver medal was awarded to Russian skater Alexandra Trusova, a silver medalist from the Beijing Winter Olympics, who finished with a score of 221.27 points. Trusova executed a successful quad flip in her free skate, achieving a score of 148.90, which surpassed Chiba’s free skate score. Despite this, Trusova could not overcome her deficit from the short program and ended up 3.21 points behind Chiba in total score.
This marked Chiba’s third gold medal in the Grand Prix series, following a series of injuries that had plagued her previously; her return to competitive form drew significant interest.
However, the awarding ceremony following the competition revealed an astonishing episode.
Videos circulating online depict a stark contrast during the medal presentation, where the silver medalist received enthusiastic applause from the audience, yet the champion, Mone Chiba, faced a noticeably cooler reception upon taking the podium. When Chiba reached the top podium step, shouts of “get off the podium” and accusations of “inflated scores” were heard from some attendees.
According to reports from Japanese media, notably Yomiuri Shimbun on November 9, some spectators refused to stand when Japan’s national anthem played and shouted “refund tickets” among other derogatory comments. Even as insults were voiced in Japanese, Chiba’s emotional response was palpable as she fought back tears during the ceremony. This moment rapidly gained traction on social media, prompting widespread condemnation of the audience’s behavior.
The incident has sparked considerable discussion within the international figure skating community. American figure skater Amber Glenn, upon viewing the videos of the incident, took to social media to express her support for Chiba, stating, “My heart breaks. Mone is such a kind person, and she should not be subjected to such malicious attacks over something she cannot control.”
Glenn has previously achieved fifth place in women’s singles at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics and won the championship at the 2024 Grand Prix Final in women’s singles, making her a prominent figure among American figure skaters. Her public backing has further brought media attention to the controversy surrounding the award ceremony.
Following Yomiuri Shimbun’s coverage, the incident also resonated with the Japanese public. Many Japanese netizens expressed the opinion that competition results should be determined by judges according to established rules, and athletes should not bear the brunt of dissatisfaction toward judging outcomes. Others emphasized that international sporting events are platforms for not only showcasing competitive skills but also for promoting interaction and mutual respect among different countries and regions. They asserted that respecting award recipients is fundamental sportsmanship.