5 MINUTES AGO: With less than 24 hours remaining before the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2026 officially begin, a shocking announcement from the organizers has sent the entire figure skating world into an uproar.

Reactions from the figure skating community were immediate and intense. Former champions praised Liu’s integrity, calling her response “a defining moment for athlete autonomy.” Others questioned whether the ISU’s approach risked setting a controversial precedent by attaching such large financial incentives to participation.

Meanwhile, fans around the world expressed a mixture of admiration and heartbreak. Many had hoped to see Liu return to the ice, even for one final performance. Yet her decision seemed to deepen the respect she commands, reinforcing her legacy in an entirely different way.