Letters | Zealous fan culture mustn’t be allowed to spoil Chinese sports

Readers discuss the disruptive behaviour of Chinese table tennis fans at the Paris Olympics, and the aftermath of the Hong Kong-Italy fencing final

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From left, table tennis players Sun Yingsha of China, Chen Meng of China and Shin Yu-bin of South Korea stand on the winner’s podium at the Paris Olympics on August 3. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 11:30am, 7 Aug 2024

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Zealous fandoms are increasingly affecting Chinese sports, especially table tennis, even though the General Administration of Sport of China has called for resistance to the chaos of fanquan, or “rice circles”, as the fan groups are known, in all sports.

The Chinese Olympic Committee has also called on society to respect athletes. The point is to ensure that sporting events remain a domain of respect, integrity and healthy competition.

However, extreme fan culture reared its disruptive head at the Paris Olympics over the weekend, when Chinese table tennis players Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha faced off in the women’s singles final. During the match, the noisy behaviour of Sun’s fans created an environment that hindered both athletes. Unsporting conduct was observed, which included booing Chen when she scored.

This atmosphere bewildered many viewers, and some neutral table tennis fans began rooting for Chen instead. The extreme behaviour also raises questions about the support for Chen, who ultimately succeeded in defending her singles crown, in her own country.

The ramifications of extreme fan culture extend beyond matches; such fans could pose serious threats to athletes’ well-being, hinder the ability of sports teams to represent the country honourably, and impede the sustainable development of sports in China.