Turkish ski jumper İpcioğlu mum on Uyghur statement

ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Turkish ski jumper Fatih Arda İpcioğlu has declined to say if the crescent and star on his blue skis the day before the normal hill competition at the Beijing Olympics was a statement in support of China’s Uyghur community. The design on the skis used Saturday seemed to recognize the Uyghurs’ home region of East Turkestan. İpcioğlu switched his equipment on Sunday and says the skis he was using were for the competition. Human rights groups say the Chinese government has oppressed members of the Uyghur Muslim minority on a massive scale. İpcioğlu finished 36th in the 50-jumper field.