Olympian Eileen Gu says she feels like a 'punching bag' amid backlash for competing with China over US

American-born skier Eileen Gu fired back at critics over competing for Team China, saying people "just hate China" and target her because she wins. Olympics Olympian Eileen Gu says she feels like a 'punching bag' amid backlash for competing with China over US 'They just hate China,' Gu said By Jackson Thompson Fox News Published February 19, 2026 11:07pm EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Enes Kanter Freedom: Eileen Gu built her fame in a free country, but chose to represent an authoritarian regime Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom slams Olympic skier Eileen Gu for representing ‘the worst human rights abuser on the planet’ on ‘The Ingraham Angle.’ NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! American-born Team China skier Eileen Gu responded to the global criticism she has received during the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Her decision to compete for China despite being born in the U.S. has made her a target for Americans and others across the world, with Vice President JD Vance chiming in by saying he hopes athletes born here would "want to compete with the United States of America."Gu was asked if she currently feels "like a bit of a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics" after her competition on Thursday. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China attends the award ceremony of the freestyle skiing women's freeski big air event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Hongxiang/Xinhua via Getty Images) "I do," she said, per USA Today. "So many athletes compete for a different country. ... People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it's not really about what they think it's about. "And also, because I win. Like if I wasn't doing well, I think that they probably wouldn't care as much, and that's OK for me. People are entitled to their opinions."Gu has previously said she was "physically assaulted" for her decision to represent China. "The police were called. I’ve had death threats. I’ve had my dorm robbed," Gu told The Athletic. "I’ve gone through some things as a 22-year-old that I really think no one should ever have to endure, ever."EILEEN GU GARNERS BACKLASH FOR COMMENTING ON TRUMP'S STATEMENT WHILE REPRESENTING CHINA Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China poses for photos after the awarding ceremony of the freestyle skiing women's freeski big air event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Wang Peng/Xinhua via Getty Images) Gu will compete in the women's freestyle skiing halfpipe final on Thursday aftermwinning silvers in her first two events. It will be the climax of an Olympics defined by immense global criticism for Gu. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Gu and Zhu Yi, a fellow American-born figure skater who now competes for China, were paid a combined $6.6 million by the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau in 2025 for "striving for excellent results in qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics." In all, the two were reportedly paid nearly $14 million over the past three years.Vance weighed in on the controversy surrounding Gu in a Tuesday interview on Fox News' "The Story With Martha MacCallum." CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP (left) Team China skier Eileen Gu, (right) Vice President JD Vance (Getty Images)"I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that makes this country a great place, I would hope they want to compete with the United States of America," Vance said on "The Story With Martha MacCallum." "So, I'm going to root for American athletes, I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That's who I'm rooting for in this Olympics." Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com. Related Topics OlympicsChinaSports Fox News First Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Arrives Weekdays By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time. Subscribe Subscribed Subscribe You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!