Star athletes fighting 'fandom culture' gain attention

A growing movement among Chinese athletes has seen numerous sports stars take action against the disruptive influence of "fandom culture."

Prominent sports figures, including badminton players Wang Chang and Liang Weikeng, and gymnast Zhang Boheng, have disbanded their fan groups on Weibo in a stand against the invasive behavior of some supporters.

Their actions quickly gained attention online, with Paris Olympic table tennis champion Wang Chuqin's fan club dissolving its fan group on Sina Weibo becoming a trending topic on social media, amassing over 34 million views.

The growing backlash against fandom culture has caught the attention of China's sports authorities.

On Tuesday, the General Administration of Sport of China held a special meeting to address the issue. Gao Zhidan, head of the administration, stressed the importance of stronger regulations, public awareness campaigns and better risk prevention measures to safeguard athletes' rights and ensure the future development of sports in China.

The rise of fandom culture has raised concerns about its impact on athletes' mental and physical well-being, their performance and the long-term sustainability of their careers.

In the world of table tennis, one of China's most beloved sports, athletes like Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong have become particularly affected by this trend.

In December, Wang Chuqin was surrounded by a crowd of fans at Beijing Capital International Airport, causing him visible frustration.

This followed a similar incident last October, when a video of Wang confronting a fan who kept following him around with a camera went viral. Despite his requests for space, the fan ignored him.

Wang subsequently issued a statement on Weibo condemning "paid photographers" and urging fans to respect athletes' privacy.

"I don't want people waiting outside airports, training halls or hotels to follow and photograph us," Wang wrote. "This disrupts public order and severely affects our daily lives. 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."

Fellow table tennis star Fan Zhendong has experienced similar disruptions, including chaotic airport scenes and overeager fans entering his hotel room. He has repeatedly called for a halt to invasive fandom practices.

During the first stage of the China Table Tennis Super League in December in Changsha, Hunan province, Fan addressed fans on Weibo, urging them to show their admiration in more appropriate ways.

"Thank you for your support, but there are better ways and moments to express it. Stay true to yourselves and respect others. I sincerely ask for your understanding and respect," he wrote.

The backlash against fandom culture has also led to increased scrutiny of online discussions, with some social media users spreading false information, insulting athletes and coaches, or inciting conflict among fan groups.

In response, major platforms such as Weibo, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Baidu, Tencent and Bilibili have removed thousands of posts containing such content. Weibo reported that it had deleted over 7,600 posts and penalized more than 700 accounts for inciting conflict, making insults or engaging in malicious sensationalism.

Efforts to combat the negative effects of fandom culture have gained traction. During the Paris Olympics in August, the Ministry of Public Security revealed it had handled four major cases involving illegal activities in sports fan circles, three of which concerned table tennis.

"The internet is not beyond the reach of the law," the ministry said, urging users to avoid spreading misinformation and engaging in personal attacks.