Champion skier Eileen Gu has responded to critics who question her commitment to China, highlighting the 39 medals she has won for the country over the past five years.
Born in San Francisco, the 20-year-old freestyle skier, who originally held U.S. citizenship, announced in June 2019 that she had become a Chinese citizen and would represent China in future competitions. This decision sparked ongoing controversy.
Gu made history at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics by winning two gold medals and one silver for China. Despite this success, she has faced criticism from Chinese netizens, who accuse her of being “unpatriotic” and “two-faced.”
In a recent Instagram post showcasing her performance at the 2023 World Cup in Calgary, Canada, Gu was criticized for allegedly obscuring the nationality of Chinese skier Zhang Kexin with text and emojis, which some interpreted as an attempt to downplay Zhang’s achievements and elevate her own status as China’s top skier. Additionally, Gu cropped Zhang out of a celebration photo of the winners that she posted.
In March, when Gu visited the White House, she shared photos on Instagram with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris but did not post them on Chinese social media platforms, further fueling accusations of being “two-faced.”
More recently, following the Paris Olympics, rumors circulated about Gu’s public interactions with French Olympic swimming champion Leon Marchand at a Paris nightclub. This followed backlash from Chinese netizens when Marchand appeared to ignore a handshake request from Zhu Zhigen, the coach of Chinese bronze medalist Wang Shun. Gu later deleted photos of herself with Marchand on Instagram, prompting criticism that she was being “hypocritical” and acting in her own self-interest.
On Weibo, sports commentator Li Pingkang remarked: “There’s nothing wrong with being friends with someone, but distancing yourself when controversy arises shows that she is opportunistic and self-serving.”
As the controversy continued, Gu responded by posting a video on Douyin on August 21, highlighting her achievements. She stated, “In the past five years, I’ve represented China in 41 international competitions and have won 39 medals for China. I have also introduced three chief coaches, donated freestyle skis to the national team, and continually advocated for China and women on the global stage.” She then challenged her critics by asking, “What have you done for the country?”
In the video’s caption, Gu encouraged her followers to “be the best version of yourself and make the world a better place. If you haters are in such a bad mood, why not go out for a run?” The video quickly gained attention on mainland social media, with the hashtag “Eileen Gu directly confronts haters” trending on Weibo and attracting nearly 90 million views at the time of writing.
Public opinion, however, remains divided. Some praised Gu as a positive role model, while others found her response off-putting, arguing that her words suggested only those who win medals contribute to the country. Others pointed out that while Gu has won gold for China, she has also earned significant financial benefits from the Chinese market, and therefore, her achievements should not be overly glorified.
