Beijing is intensifying its efforts to curb “aggressive fans” who are allegedly impacting the performance of Chinese athletes at the Paris Olympics, as part of a broader crackdown on celebrity worship. Recent state media reports have criticized “inappropriate” behaviors, such as fans booing during events or accusing referees of unfairness.
This “fan culture” reportedly peaked on August 3 when paddler Chen Meng defeated teammate Sun Yingsha to win gold in the table tennis women’s singles. Despite her victory, the Chinese internet erupted with support for Ms. Sun, with some fans denouncing Ms. Chen’s win, attributing it to Ms. Sun’s exhaustion from competing in three earlier events.
In response, Chinese social media platforms have collectively removed tens of thousands of posts and banned over 800 accounts for “spreading negativity and fomenting conflict” about the event. One of Ms. Sun’s fans even wished for Ms. Chen to test positive for a banned substance so the gold medal could be awarded to Ms. Sun, sparking widespread outrage online. Additionally, a 29-year-old woman was arrested for posting defamatory comments about the match. Although the specific content of her comments is unclear, police stated she had “maliciously fabricated information and blatantly defamed others, resulting in an adverse impact on society.”
This crackdown is the latest move in Beijing’s campaign against “toxic” celebrity culture. In the past, this has included banning celebrity rankings, restructuring fan clubs, and regularly removing “harmful” content from fan pages. In recent days, the state-run Global Times newspaper has published multiple articles criticizing “fan culture” in sports. One report highlighted concerns among “numerous Chinese people” about the “visibly aggressive fan culture that threatens to erode the sporting world.”
Authorities have also condemned fans who cheer loudly, use flash photography during matches, or profit by selling memorabilia signed by athletes. The state news agency Xinhua released a video report on Wednesday stating that the fan culture “not only affects the training and competition of Chinese athletes, but also seriously affects the reputation of Chinese sports.” Similarly, Shanghai Daily published a commentary urging social media platforms to “enforce strict policies against malicious behaviors” and for sporting organizations to “take a firm stance against fan mania.”
Even before the Paris Olympics, Chinese authorities had warned against fan culture. Late last year, the Chinese Olympic Committee and the General Administration of Sport of China reprimanded fans for repeatedly filming and following athletes. They stated that “low-level fans” driven by their love for idols impulsively engage in irrational actions that disrupt the normal order of events, public order, sportsmanship, and social morality.
Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the committee warned Chinese Olympians to avoid involvement in fan clubs, emphasizing the need to “resolutely put an end to the spread of the chaos of fan culture to the field of sports.” Athletes themselves have expressed a desire for respectful treatment. Veteran table tennis player Deng Yaping, for example, urged fans to “express our preferences without attacking others,” adding, “We must respect each other and leave space for everyone.”
