China takes aim at 'chaotic' fan groups after Olympians abused online

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POWERHOUSE. Athletes of China arrive at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony.

China's Ministry of Public Security has taken action against fan groups for their treatment of athletes who competed in the Paris Olympics

HONG KONG – China’s government and official sporting bodies have condemned fans for using social media to attack and spread rumors about the country’s Olympians and said the behavior had an extremely negative impact on athletes, coaches, and their families.

China’s Ministry of Public Security said it would crack down on “illegal and criminal acts of ‘fan circles’ as part of its internet security measures” and urged people not to “spread rumors, attack, and slander others.”

The bureau highlighted four cases where it had taken action against fan groups for their treatment of athletes who competed in the Paris Olympics, including some fans who had “insulted and defamed table tennis players and coaches.”

China’s table tennis association said the “chaos” of fan groups had interfered with the team’s training and competition.

The Public Security ministry said another case centered around gymnasts being insulted on social media.

At the weekend, the Chinese Gymnastics Association said athletes, coaches, and managers had been the targets of rumors and insults, negatively impacting the work, life, and family of relevant personnel.

The statements came after swimmer Pan Zhanle, 20, who broke the world record in the 100-meter freestyle, disbanded his only fan group page on social medial platform Weibo and told state broadcaster CCTV that he preferred to keep a low profile.

“A bad thing about being famous is that too many people surround me,” he said. “I’d rather not have as much success if it meant I could continue training hard with peace of mind.”

China delivered its best performance at a Summer Olympics since the 2008 Games on home soil, winning the joint most gold medals with the United States in Paris and only missing out on topping the standings on silver medal count.

The 40 golds were an all-time high for a Games outside China and was achieved despite immense pressure and tightened scrutiny resulting from a doping row involving some of its swimmers. – Rappler.com

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