A Chinese Olympic athlete has closed his social media accounts to prevent from becoming too famous and popular. Pan Zhale won two swimming gold medals in Paris and returned to China to a hero’s welcome. However, against a broader context of the Communist Party crackdown on potential idol-worshipping, he has shut down his Weibo social media account, saying he prefers “peace of mind” to fame and fortune.
The state-controlled media applauded Pan’s decision. Journalists wrote that fan groups “can become breeding grounds for excessive idol worship” and even lead to violence. An Op-Ed stated that the athlete had sent a positive signal to Chinese society that focus should be on hard work and achievement rather than “blind adulation from fans.” Other media commentators praised the wisdom of the swimmer’s decision to withdraw from the limelight, saying it exhibited the “clear head” needed in an athlete.
Known as the “new flying fish,” Pan’s fame rose to rare heights in China, but his Olympic experience was not without its controversies. For instance, he lashed out at his competitors when speaking to Chinese media, saying they ignored him or were rude. Kyle Chalmers of Australia and Jack Alexey of the United States were accused of disrespecting him, prompting his followers to lash out at them online.
The swimmer also spoke negatively about his fans, describing them as fickle and claiming they only care about him when he is doing well. He also complained that he was unable to out by himself because he was swamped by fans. “This is the only bad thing about being famous, too many people surround me,” he said.
There have also been questions surrounding Pan’s record-breaking swim. Kyle Chalmers’ coach said the feat was not possible, adding, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” China controversially allowed 23 swimmers to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after testing positive for drug use, and even though Pan was not explicitly implicated, the 19-year-old’s 46.40-second record has raised some eyebrows. The new time was 0.4 seconds ahead of the record set by Pan Zhale in 2021. He defeated the Australian runner-up by “an entire body length.”
