Did American fan urinate on Datsyuk’s skate in Russian locker room? (Video)

Team USA was embarrassed in the bronze medal game of the IIHF world championships, 7-2, at the hands of host Russia. Well, as embarrassed as a nation can be that’s made getting dominated in the consolation game of an international hockey tournament a basic trait in the last few years ...

But embarrassing doesn’t quite describe whatever it is we’re watching here, in what’s either an extremely well-produced video stunt (probable, given the audio editing) or an extraordinary breach of security protocols, etiquette and general decency.

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The video, originally uploaded by someone named Scott Edwards, shows a portly fan named Mike in a Matt Hendricks jersey (although he doesn’t wear No. 26 for the U.S.) dancing a Russian locker room around with a giant emoji featuring an Uncle Sam hat painted on his chest.

He then walks over to what appears to be the locker of Russian captain Pavel Datsyuk – at least that’s the number-appropriate jersey hanging there – and then appears to relieve himself inside of the Detroit Red Wings star’s skate.

We put 'urinates' in quotes in the headline because this is one of those things you watch that's so unbelievable that it has to be fake, and yet so fake that it really wouldn't completely shock us if it were real.

So we ask you, dear readers: Please debunk this. Please show this was filmed on a soundstage somewhere like the moon landing, and that some idiot didn't sneak into the Russian locker room and piss in the skates of Pavel Datsyuk. Because they have nukes, too ...

Anyway, it’s already been picked up by the Mirror in the U.K., which means we’re well on our way to having this be the face of U.S. hockey fandom internationally for the time being.

UPDATE: Reader Duncan A. offers some debunking:

I believe this is a hoax:

1. Sponsor patch on the side of the jersey should be orange not white
2. Numbers on the back and side of the jersey are the wrong size
3. Captains C is way too big
4. No Nike logo on the front of the jersey
5. Blue extends down to the Russia flag below the elbows when it should only go to the shoulder
6. Datsyuks "gloves" have white stripes on them in the video but should be all red. 
7. Datsyuks "sticks" do not have red tape on the top

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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