Figure Skater Drops Fur

Two weeks ago, three-time figure skating champion and Winter Olympics competitor Johnny Weir wore a costume adorned with fox fur at the 2010 AT&T Figure Skating Championships, which generated criticism from animal-rights organizations. On January 28, Weir said that he would replace the fox fur on his 2010 Olympic Games costume with faux fur. Friends of Animals issued an open letter to Weir, calling for the removal of fox fur from his costume. Weir explained that his focus is currently on training and technique, not pressure from animal-rights groups. In a statement released last week, the skater expressed concerns that an animal-rights representative may disrupt his performance at the Vancouver games if he chose to continue wearing genuine fox fur, jeopardizing his chance to earn a gold medal.