China’s Olympic champion in diving, Quan Hongchan, has been subjected to long-term bullying, provoking public outrage. On April 8th, the training center where she resides has reported to the police. Recently, a WeChat group involving diving industry professionals, judges, and CCTV sports reporters was exposed. In this WeChat group, multiple individuals have been continuously insulting and attacking Quan Hongchan, with the group’s announcement explicitly encouraging members to insult her.
Screenshots circulating online reveal that in the WeChat group “Water Conquerors Alliance” with 282 members, there was a specific rule in the group announcement stating “Attacking other athletes is prohibited (except for Quan Hongchan),” with members allowed to use insulting nicknames such as “fat pig” to attack Quan Hongchan for a period spanning from 3 to 5 years (from 2022 to April 2026).
The group’s leader and administrators not only failed to stop the illegal behavior but also encouraged insults towards Quan Hongchan by designating insulting her as an “allowed action,” and even promoted rules like “relentless scolding.”
On April 8th, Kailai, Deputy Chief Editor of Beijing News Center of Hong Kong Da Kong Wenhu, expressed in a blog post that the collective bullying of Quan Hongchan is the dirtiest behavior in the sports world, provoking anger. She highlighted how a WeChat group of 282 people named “Water Conquerors Alliance” openly stated in the group announcement: “Attacking other athletes is prohibited, except for Quan Hongchan,” engaging in a prolonged personal attack on her with derogatory nicknames. Kailai condemned this organized, targeted, and systemic bullying involving insiders of the diving industry, which has crossed moral, professional, and legal boundaries.
Health blogger and Weibo influencer “Liu Xiaoying” mentioned after reviewing the chat records that the language used was appalling, starting back in 2022 when Quan Hongchan was just a 15-year-old minor. An incident worth noting is when a Macau diving team athlete joined the group but couldn’t bear the content and immediately left, only to be ridiculed by group members as “Quan Hongchan’s protector.”
Members who left the group became targets themselves, showing how ostracizing Quan Hongchan had become a “norm” within that circle. After the incident escalated, the group owner dissolved the group overnight, and relevant personnel remained silent, with no one addressing the issue directly.
The members of the group include active/retired diving athletes such as Chen Yuxi, Chang Yani, Chen Yiwen, and industry professionals like CCTV diving journalist Yang Shuo, and international judge Rao Lang, who were aware of the insults but did not intervene.
Some netizens expressed their opinions, questioning the identity of the group owner and criticizing the lack of accountability. They empathized with Quan Hongchan, acknowledging the immense mental stress she must endure while training daily to compete.
In a previous interview with “People” magazine on March 30th, Quan Hongchan mentioned the immense pressure she felt during her growth period when she gained weight, stating, “I couldn’t accept being this fat, I dare not weigh myself, and I’m afraid to face the camera.” She expressed her hope that those attacking her would stop, refrain from insulting her family and friends, to prevent them from distancing themselves from her.
Quan Hongchan choked back tears as she revealed considering retirement, stating, “I really wanted to, but in the end, I wanted to persevere and take one more dive.”
On April 8th, the Guangdong Ersha Sports Training Center issued a statement on its WeChat public account titled “A Resolute Rejection of Abnormal Fan Culture.”
The statement addressed the recent online bullying incident involving diving athlete Quan Hongchan, receiving significant attention from society. The center reported the matter to the public security authorities. Quan Hongchan, a young athlete representing the country and winning honors, has faced unwarranted public pressure and emotional harm during her growth.
Any malicious defamation, insults, spreading of false information against athletes and their families in any form have exceeded legal and moral boundaries. Such behavior not only disrupts the athletes’ normal training and lives but also undermines a fair, healthy, and positive sports environment.
The statement firmly opposed all forms of online violence and personal attacks, abnormal fan culture, and supported Quan Hongchan in legally defending her rights. The center pledged to work with relevant departments to hold accountable those responsible for online abuse through legal means.
On the same day, the General Administration of Sport of China’s Swimming Sports Management Center issued a statement announcing a joint investigation and response with the relevant departments of the Guangdong Sports Bureau. The statement confirmed that the Guangdong Ersha Sports Training Center had filed a police report, supporting the use of legal means to protect athletes’ legitimate rights and resistance against abnormal “fan” culture erosion.
Both the statements from the Guangdong Ersha Sports Training Center and the General Administration of Sport of China’s Swimming Sports Management Center categorized the incident as “abnormal fan culture.”
In response, netizens criticized the failure to address the group of industry insiders who were the main perpetrators. They highlighted the long-term nature of the bullying, suggesting negligence from the Swimming Sports Management Center in preventing such behavior. Calls were made to cleanse the diving team and hold accountable those responsible for Quan Hongchan’s hardships since 2022.
This incident sheds light on the harsh realities of bullying, especially towards underprivileged individuals, with many urging authorities to take appropriate action to protect the mental and physical well-being of an elite athlete like Quan Hongchan.
The so-called “fan culture” refers to the organized, networked groups made up of fans of specific celebrities who engage in various circle-specific behaviors such as promotion, cheering, supporting, and ranking for their idols.