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China netizens accuse ‘two-faced’ skier Eileen Gu over links to ‘arrogant’ French swimmer

  • Gu under fire after video shows her dancing closely with athlete criticised earlier for showing disrespect towards Chinese coach

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Champion Chinese skier Eileen Gu is facing online criticism after video emerged of her being initimate with a controversial French swimmer. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/IG@leon.marchand31
Yating Yangin Beijing

China’s Olympic champion skier Eileen Gu is facing criticism online after videos emerged of her dancing intimately with a French swimmer accused of disrespecting a Chinese sports coach.

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The video, which surfaced as the Paris Olympics came to a close, shows Gu interacting intimately with Games swimming champion Leon Marchand in a Paris nightclub.

At one point, Gu can be seen holding an Olympic gold medal while making a kissing gesture, leading to speculation that the medal belonged to Marchand and that the pair are romantically linked.

Gu won two golds and a silver medal for skiing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics while Marchand clinched four golds and a bronze in Paris.

Champion skier Eileen Gu with her mother in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Photo: Instagram/eileengu
Champion skier Eileen Gu with her mother in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Photo: Instagram/eileengu

This made the Frenchman the first swimmer since US legend Michael Phelps to win four individual golds at a single Olympics.

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