Wang Chuqin, the Paris Olympic table tennis champion, made headlines on Wednesday after his fan club deleted its Weibo fan group in a public stand against "fandom culture."
The move sparked widespread attention, quickly trending as one of the top discussions on social media.
In recent days, other athletes, including those from the Chinese national badminton team, such as Wang Chang and Liang Weikeng, have similarly disbanded their fan groups on Weibo, signaling a collective stance against this growing issue.
The issue has also caught the attention of China's sports authorities. On Tuesday, the General Administration of Sport of China held a special meeting focused on addressing the disruptive behavior associated with "fandom culture."
Gao Zhidan, head of the General Administration, emphasized the urgency of tackling this issue. He outlined the need for stronger management, public awareness campaigns, and enhanced risk prevention strategies to protect athletes' rights and ensure the continued healthy development of Chinese sports.
As "fandom culture" continues to permeate the sports world, its negative impact on athletes' mental and physical well-being, their performance, and the long-term sustainability of sports has become increasingly evident. Prominent table tennis stars such as Wang and Fan Zhendong have been particularly affected by this phenomenon.
On Dec 28, while traveling to Shanghai for the China Table Tennis Club Super League, Wang was surrounded by a crowd of fans at the Beijing Capital Airport, with cameras thrust in his face. This situation left Wang visibly frustrated.
Last October, a similar incident occurred, where a video showing him confronting a "fan" who had closely followed him with a camera went viral. Despite Wang's repeated requests for space, the fan ignored his pleas.
In response, Wang Chuqin took to Weibo account Wangchuqin_HOPEdeQingqiqiugongfang, issuing a statement condemning the practice of "paid photographers" and urging fans to respect athletes' privacy.
"I don't want people to wait outside airports, training halls, or hotels to follow and photograph us," he said. "This disrupts public order and severely affects our daily lives."
He continued, "On the court, I am an athlete; off the court, I am just an ordinary person. I hope everyone can respect each other's privacy, maintain distance, and allow me some personal space. Thank you."
Fan has previously experienced similar disruptions, including chaotic scenes at airports and incidents where stalker fans followed him and even entered his hotel room. He has repeatedly called for an end to the invasive practices of "fandom culture" in the world of competitive sports.
