MK sports China, at the Figure Skating gala, which moved the audience to switch on the flashlights on their phones and wave along to the rhythm of the beat.Photo:Li Hao/GT" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2022/2022-02-20/8a8fe69d-3662-4df5-907a-384ed94e14da.jpeg" />

Chinese ice dancers Liu Xinyu (left) and Wang Shiyue  Photo:Li Hao/GT

Figure skater Liu Xinyu expressed his anger at his Instagram account being hacked and the subsequent spread of misinformation, as he prepares to compete alongside his ice dance partner Wang Shiyue, at the National Winter Games in Hulun Buir.

Allegations of misconduct surfaced against figure skater Liu Xinyu, stirring controversy among netizens on Tuesday after his "hacked" Instagram account posted content that alleged the bribery of judges and involvement in illegal activities such as the sexual assault of minors.

The Jilin sports bureau, which administrates Liu who is representing Northeast China's Jilin Province, said it has initiated an investigation into the matter, indicating suspicions of account hacking and assured the public that multiple departments were engaged in verifying the authenticity of the claims.

Liu, born in Changchun, Jilin in 1994, is a prominent figure in Chinese figure skating, specializing in ice dancing. 

Pairing with female skater Wang Shiyue since 2005, the duo has achieved notable success, clinching the national figure skating championship in 2014 and at the ISU China Cup figure skating event in 2020. 

They also represented China at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea in 2018 and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Their 12th-place finish at the 2022 Olympics marks China's best performance in ice dancing at the Winter Olympics to date.

Shortly after the news broke on Tuesday morning, Liu, took to Wang's social media account to address the situation, saying Liu's account had been hacked. As of press time, Liu's Instagram account had been switched to private access.