The excitement surrounding the Olympics is undeniable, and the competition among nations to top the medal table is fierce. At the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, the United States once again asserted its dominance, securing an impressive total of 126 medals—40 Gold, 22 Silver, and 42 Bronze. This performance saw them outpace China, which managed to bring home 91 medals, including 40 Gold, 27 Silver, and 24 Bronze.
These results mark one of the best showings for the US in recent years, as China has been striving to claim the top spot, only to fall short, finishing in 2nd or 3rd place in the last few Olympics.
China Olympic Hero Closes Supporters Club Due To Toxic Fan Culture
Chinese Olympic champion and newly crowned 100m freestyle world record holder, Pan Zhanle, has recently made headlines, but this time, it's not for his achievements in the pool.
Pan's profile, already towering due to his immense popularity, has been elevated even further after he took a firm stand against so-called fandom culture. In a bold move, he disbanded his official fan group, an action that has garnered widespread admiration.
Affectionately dubbed “the new flying fish,” Pan captured the nation’s heart during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he secured two gold medals and ushered Chinese swimming into a new era. His remarkable accomplishments include setting a new world record in the men’s 100m freestyle and playing a pivotal role in the historic triumph of the men’s 4 x 100m medley relay on his 20th birthday, ending the United States’ 64-year reign in the event.
Pan’s candid and sincere demeanour is a refreshing departure from the often-scripted responses typical of many athletes. In one interview with state broadcaster CCTV, he openly criticised the food at the Olympic Village, remarking, “The meat tastes like wood.” In another instance, he called out his Australian rival, Kyle Chalmers, for poor sportsmanship, stating, “I greeted Chalmers, but he completely ignored me.”
Chinese netizens have embraced Pan wholeheartedly, catapulting him to even greater fame. His Douyin account saw a surge of 1 million new followers within just five days of his championship win on 1 August.
Dark Side Of Sports Fans
However, with the growing popularity of sports stars has been increasing concern over the rise of toxic fandom culture. Instances of excessive spending on endorsements, irrational forms of support, and online confrontations have begun to erode the traditional spirit of sport.
During the women’s table tennis finals between Chinese athletes Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng, some fans not only cheered for their favourite but also booed the other, despite both representing China. A similar scenario unfolded with Olympic gold medallists in diving, Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi, who are not only competitors but also teammates and close friends. After Chen won a national competition against Quan last year, Quan’s fans unleashed a torrent of verbal abuse on Chen’s social media, accusing her of “stealing” Quan’s gold medal.
Pan’s stance is seen as a direct challenge to this escalating fandom culture. On 12 August, he unexpectedly disbanded his only official fan group on Weibo, a move that swiftly became a trending topic, amassing over 250 million views online. The group, reportedly created in 2021 when Pan was relatively unknown, was managed by Pan himself and included members who genuinely loved swimming. However, his sudden rise to fame brought an influx of new followers, leading to his growing discomfort.
In an interview, Pan spoke about the fickle nature of fame, sharing how fans who gather outside his hotel for autographs now were nowhere to be found during his less successful times. “Achievements come from step-by-step training. When my performance was poor, they didn’t come to find me. But now they do, it feels really strange and awkward. I hope to keep a low profile and enjoy some peace and quiet,” he said.
Online, many have praised Pan for his level-headedness. “Pan is truly clear-headed. This Olympics has made him mature a lot, and he’s not wasting any energy. He’s really great and has the potential to achieve even greater things,” one person commented. Another noted, “Athletes are praised when they perform well, but as soon as their performance drops, they get criticised, just like what happened to Liu Xiang. One minute they’re fans, the next they’re haters.” A third added, “Athletes should be focused only on the competition and please ignore everything else. Sports competitions do not need fan culture.”
Our beloved bronze medalist, Lee Zii Jia, faced a similar struggle. Instead of deactivating his account, he chose to remain silent, allowing his achievements to do the talking as he clinched bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In a heartfelt post-match interview, Lee, with tears in his eyes, reflected on his challenging three-year journey and vowed to come back stronger, setting his sights on gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
He never cried these whole 3 years after turning pro, but his tears fell down today after contributing a medal towards his country.
— Z 💎🇲🇾 (@theone_xyz) August 5, 2024
"Every morning, saya wake up, nampak mcm² news. I was wondering that apa yg saya buat salah.
I just wake up every morning, showing up for… pic.twitter.com/2q18WbkREn
While our admiration for athletes is unwavering, it's time to put an end to toxic fan culture and refrain from criticising them for a single poor performance. After all, we aren’t the ones facing the immense pressure they endure—pressure that could challenge even the strongest among us.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media & various cross-references for context.
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