Star athletes who fight against “fandom culture” are getting attention

A growing movement among Chinese athletes has led scores of sports stars to 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 protest against the invasive behavior of some supporters.

Their actions quickly gained online attention, with the fan club of Paris Olympic table tennis champion Wang Chuqin disbanding his fan group on Sina Weibo and becoming a trending topic on social media, with more than 34 million views.

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

On Tuesday, China's General Administration of Sports held a special meeting to discuss the issue. Gao Zhidan, head of the government, stressed the importance of stricter regulations, awareness campaigns and better risk prevention measures to protect the rights of athletes 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 such as Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong have been 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 with a camera went viral. Despite his requests for space, the fan ignored him.

Wang then 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 has serious consequences for our daily lives. On the field I am an athlete; off the field I'm just an ordinary person. I hope everyone can respect each other's privacy, keep their distance and give me some personal space. Thank you.”

Fellow table tennis star Fan Zhendong has experienced similar disruptions, including chaotic airport scenes and overzealous fans entering his hotel room. He has repeatedly called for an end 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 and urged them to show their admiration in more appropriate ways.

“Thank you for your support, but there are better ways and times to express this. Stay true to yourself 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 fueling conflict between 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 more than 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 momentum. During the Paris Olympics in August, the Ministry of Public Security announced that it had handled four major cases involving illegal activities in sports fan circles, three of which related to table tennis.

“The Internet is not beyond the reach of the law,” the ministry said, urging users to avoid the spread of disinformation and personal attacks.

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