Speed skater Elise Christie believes the referee may have dished out the penalty that brought her Winter Olympics to a close in a bid to prevent her suffering further injury.

Triple world champion Christie was left injured after crashing out of her first two events on the ice.

Yet, despite suffering ankle ligament damage the Scot returned days later to compete in the Pyeongchang 1000m heats.

Christie thought she had overcome the adversity by securing progress via a second-place finish.

But the 27-year-old was to be penalised in the aftermath, and saw her Games come to an end after a yellow card.

Asked to explain why she had been penalised, Christie said: "Well, this Games and the last Games have had the same referee. I am not a heavily penalised skater.

"I've probably had two [penalties] outside of the Games and I think most of them have been from the same referee.

"That penalty in particular, it shouldn't have been a penalty.

"I believe that because when I had the crash at the start he was advising me to get off for my own safety.

"I don't believe he thought it was safe for me to carry on. He's looking at out for my well being, I can't fault him for that.

Christie's heartbreak in South Korea continued the Livingston athlete's personal Games woe, having also failed to medal in Sochi four years previously.

But she is determined to ensure it is third time lucky when the Games move to Beijing in 2022.

She added: "I will do it in Beijing, I've just got to wait four more years to be in the limelight again unfortunately."