Figure skater Zhu Yi, who gave up her U.S. citizenship in order to join Team China, has reportedly been facing intense criticism on social media following her performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
According to CNN, the online backlash started after the 19-year-old athlete fell during the short program, with social media users reportedly questioning why she was chosen to represent China and criticizing everything from her background to the way she speaks Mandarin. The public scrutiny is said to have continued after Zhu Yi fell twice during her free-skate performance on Monday, February 7. The skater was seen holding back tears on the ice, before sobbing openly following the performance.
Such intense pressure would affect any athlete, even without social media involved, and Zhu seemed to speak to this following the free-skate event. “I am relieved because [there is] a lot of pressure and people are expecting a lot,” Zhu told reporters, per CNN. “But right now I’m just going to move on and focus on my individual events.”
She then added, “Honestly, I’ve trained really hard and I think the main thing is coping mentally. I’m trying not to get distracted by outside influence.”
This is the first Olympics for Zhu, who said she was “upset and a little embarrassed” by her performance, adding, “I guess I felt a lot of pressure because I know everybody in China was pretty surprised with the selection for ladies’ singles and I just really wanted to show them what I was able to do.”
But for all the negative energy being directed at Zhu, other social media users have taken to Twitter to offer their support. “Zhu Yi was beautiful and so strong for pushing through that skate until the very end,” wrote one user. “It would have been so easy to have given up, but she held back the tears and fought for every landing until the end. Much respect.”
“You got one half of Twitter criticizing Zhu Yi for falling as if she wasn’t spinning in the air with knives on her feet and another half of Twitter claiming she’s a traitor for not being on team USA as if there aren’t several Americans representing other countries,” another said.
“I’m so sad to hear about the backlash Zhu Yi’s gotten because of her performances,” another said. “People fail to realize just how much it takes to even get into the Olympics and that that’s a feat in and of itself. She’s so strong and gracious for finishing her programs despite it all.”
There’s also the unfair comparisons being made between Zhu Yi and Eileen Gu, another U.S.-born athlete who is competing for Team China as a skier. Gu has been praised in both China and the U.S. for winning gold at the Olympics, while others—mostly here stateside—have criticized her for competing for another country.
As for Gu, she’s reportedly spoken out to set some of the narrative straight. According to Insider, Gu wrote underneath a post about Zhu becoming the target of online hatred that the response she’s seen has been mostly positive toward the figure skater. “As someone who actually uses Chinese social platforms I’m going to say right here that over 90% of comments are positive and uplifting,” she reportedly wrote. “It’s part of the sport and everyone understands that.”
After winning gold on Tuesday, February 8, Gu offered more support to Zhu, telling reporters, “I think she’s amazing. Anyone who can make it to the Olympic Winter Games is already amazing. Mistakes and pressure are both part of the sport. I think many athletes also fell today, as you saw. Therefore, we should have some sportsmanship…. Of course, everybody wants her to get good results, but she especially wanted to get good results for herself. That’s why I hope people can try and understand her situation better. I think she’s done her best.”
Perhaps this Twitter user said it best: “Among the many upsetting things in these comparisons between Eileen Gu and Zhu Yi is the very sad fact that we *could* be celebrating two powerful young Asian women on the world stage but instead they’re being placed in contention with this false idea that it’s one or the other.”
