MKsport statement issued on the website of GAS Photo: sport.gov.cn" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-02-27/0eb7c98d-2f04-4ec6-a082-6d1ebe29eaec.jpeg" />

The statement issued on the website of GAS Photo: sport.gov.cn

The Table Tennis and Badminton Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China (GAS) said that they strongly condemn the irrational actions of some fans who insulted and slandered Chinese athletes during the recently concluded Asian Cup table tennis tournament in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, according to a statement issued by the center on Wednesday.

During the recent 34th Asian Cup, a number of Chinese national team athletes were insulted by fans. Such behaviors severely disrupted the competition and caused negative social impact, said the statement.  

The center will work with relevant departments to crack down on fans who are found to have verbally abused athletes, bloggers who incite public dissent on social media, and any other malicious acts of abuse against athletes, coaches, or staff members, according to the statement.

As the Asian Cup concluded on Sunday, China's Wang Manyu clinched her first Asian title after defeating her compatriot Sun Yingsha 4-0 in the women's singles final, while Olympic champion Wang Chuqin took the men's singles title. During the post-match interview, Wang Manyu told the unruly fans to "take good care of their throats," which was seen as a direct response to the undesirable "disruptions" she had faced during the game.

Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator, also rebuked the extreme fan behavior and called for fans to adopt a rational attitude towards the results of a sporting event. "It's desirable to support all athletes on the international stage no matter who wins the title. The reason why Chinese table tennis maintains long-time dominance globally and continues to thrive is because we have various types of athletes with a diverse range of characteristics, which allows us to continuously improve our competitive strength. What truly drew attention during the match is the athletes' technical and tactical performance. However, the extreme behaviors of some fans have disrupted the healthy competition environment," Wang told the Global Times on Thursday.

The Chinese table tennis team firmly oppose negative and unhealthy fan culture and will continue to focus on training and competition. The team is dedicated to striving for greater honors for the country and its people through outstanding performances while promoting positive sportsmanship, said the statement.

Fans' admiration and support for athletes can enhance the market value of athletes and elevate the commercial value of the sport itself. This, in turn, attracts more corporate sponsorships and brings in greater fan engagement, creating a virtuous cycle in which fans also gain emotional fulfillment. However, when unhealthy fan culture takes root, it can disrupt this positive trajectory, resulting in social and economic losses for all parties involved. It undermines the spirit of sports and leaves even ordinary fans feeling disappointed, Luo Le, a sports scholar at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, told the Global Times. 

This extreme fan behavior risks causing cognitive biases in the younger generation, leading to distortions in their worldview and values, according to a report by the China Sports Daily on Wednesday.

The pathology of unhealthy fan culture has infiltrated the sports sector, constantly changing its ways to disrupt athletes, coaches, or staff members, seriously disrupting the order of sports, damaging the reputation of the sports industry, and harming the image of sports. The profound consequences of this are the distortion of sportsmanship, the erosion of sports values, and the weakening of the functions of sports, the report said. 

On Thursday, China's X-like platform Sina Weibo issued an announcement stating that, in order to ensure athletes can focus on training and competition and to prevent extreme fan culture from affecting them, it will actively fulfill its platform responsibilities. Together with other internet platforms, Sina Weibo will take unified actions and make necessary product adjustments, including dissolving related athlete fan communities.