Chinese sports authorities crack down on cyberbullying of diving prodigy Quan Hongchan

HONG KONG: Chinese swimming authorities said on Wednesday (Apr 8) they have launched an investigation into cyberbullying of diving star Quan Hongchan, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, and reported the matter to police.

Quan, who won her first gold at Tokyo 2020 at the age of 14 and two more at the next games in Paris 2024, has given several interviews in which she talked about toxic online commentary over her weight and the immense pressure she has felt to diet even though she was already eating very little.

Now 19, Quan told Chinese magazine Renwu this year that she seriously considered retiring after the Paris Olympics before deciding she wanted to keep going.

China's Swimming Management Centre said in a statement on Wednesday that cyberbullying, malicious attacks and false information targeting Quan and other divers have appeared online.

The centre added it strongly condemned malicious acts that harm athletes' physical and mental health, would improve systems for the "care and protection of athletes" and would do its best to maintain a healthy public opinion environment for sports.

Quan has seen her home village of Maihe, part of the southern city of Zhanjiang, become a tourist destination since her Olympic success.

Her life has been placed under a microscope, the state-backed Global Times said in an April editorial, criticising an "unhealthy fan culture" where admiration turns into criticism, even hostility.