Mariah Bell cleared of deliberately slashing leg of rival Lim Eun-soo during training session
Last Updated: 22/03/19 1:15pm
The International Skating Union has cleared Mariah Bell of wrongdoing after she was accused of intentionally injuring rival Lim Eun-soo.
Bell was alleged to have slashed Lim with her skate blade deliberately while the pair were warming up, echoing the famous case involving Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan some 25 years ago.
Lim was seen holding her leg after Bell skated past, suffering a cut to her left calf as she continued her preparations for the World Championships in Japan.
The Korean skater was still able to compete in the event and finish fifth, one place ahead of Bell, who trains alongside her in Los Angeles under the teaching of Rafael Arutyunyan.
Korean officials reported the incident to the ISU, with evidence having reportedly been caught on camera, but no further action was taken and both parties were urged "to find an amicable solution".
"Based on the evidence at hand at this point in time, there is no evidence that Ms Bell intended any harm to Ms Lim," an ISU statement read.
The Harding scandal involved an assault plot against rival American skater Kerrigan, who was attacked the day before the 1994 US Championships.
That assault was organised in part by Harding's ex-husband Sean Gilooly and undertaken by Shane Stant, both of whom spent time in prison because of it.
Harding consistently denied being part of the attack in Detroit, which had aimed to break Kerrigan's leg, but did eventually plead guilty to hindering the prosecution.
Kerrigan went on recover from her injury to win silver at the 1994 Winter Olympics, where Harding finished only eighth.
