23-year-old three-time gold medalist at the Asian Games, Wang Li, has once again made headlines by accusing the director of the Songmao Sports Training Base in Yunnan Province, Fan Jiwen, of sexual harassment towards female team members and withholding wages from his wife. Analysts believe that Wang Li’s whistleblowing has exposed the dark side of grassroots sports circles in China.
Wang Li is an athlete in the kayaking team at the Songmao Sports Training Base in Yunnan Province. In October 2023, she won three gold medals in the women’s 200m, 500m, and 1000m dragon boat sprint races at the Hangzhou Asian Games, becoming the first athlete from Yunnan to achieve such a feat.
In mid-December 2025, Wang Li posted a video online exposing Fan Jiwen for demanding 150,000 yuan in competition prize money allocated by the state. After she refused, Fan Jiwen allegedly subjected her to long-term retaliation.
Fan publicly belittled her at a meeting, accusing her of ingratitude, marginalized her, halted her training, and falsely reported her retirement without her knowledge. He also falsely claimed to superiors that Wang Li was injured, effectively ending her competitive career. The pressure she faced led to severe depression and numerous breakdowns.
Wang Li revealed that the team was filled with insults and physical abuse, with some members sustaining head injuries requiring stitches, while others were punished by kneeling for not writing in their diaries. Fan frequently reminded athletes, “You should be grateful, I provide you with meals, pay your salary, and decide on your retirement arrangements. I can give you everything, but I can also take everything away.”
In the video, Wang Li called for a thorough investigation into Fan Jiwen’s abuse of power, mistreatment of athletes, and extortion.
On December 15, the Yunnan Sports Bureau announced that an investigation team had been formed to conduct an inquiry.
On the evening of January 9, more than 20 days since her initial statement, Wang Li spoke out again, detailing the latest developments and disclosing that on December 25, 2025, she presented all evidence to the Yunnan Sports Bureau’s joint investigation team.
“I raised all issues, including Fan Jiwen’s sexual harassment of female team members at the Songmao Sports Training Base; his wife receiving unwarranted benefits; withholding athletes’ prize money; and arbitrarily fining athletes,” Wang Li stated.
She also revealed chat screenshots related to sexual harassment, with a team member messaging her saying, “This really happened to me, and I despised that time. So now that you’ve spoken up, I must do the same. After all, he also harassed me.”
Another chat record showed someone writing to her, “He often touched private parts of female athletes. He touched below my chest, and at that time, I didn’t dare resist and just endured it.”
When contacted on January 10, Wang Li did not respond, as reported by Huashang News.
According to The Paper, an employee at the Yunnan Sports Bureau stated, “Fan Jiwen will be suspended pending investigation.”
On the evening of January 10, the Yunnan Sports Bureau announced that after verifying Wang Li’s accusations, Fan Jiwen has been dismissed, and relevant departments have initiated a case against him. There was no mention of Wang Li’s recent allegations of sexual harassment against Fan Jiwen.
Online commentators expressed anger and support for Wang Li’s courage in speaking out about the truth. Some questioned why the leader involved did not dare to reveal their full name even after such serious accusations were made.
There are concerns that with Fan Jiwen’s dismissal, he may simply move to another sports base and continue his leadership role, indicating that the accountability measures might not be strong enough to deter such behavior.
An article by a prominent commentator on Netease criticized the delayed official report, the vague conclusion of “basic truthfulness,” and the lenient punishment of just dismissal for the involved party. The lack of clarity in disclosing critical information, such as the validity of the core allegations of sexual harassment and embezzlement, raises doubts among the public.
The article emphasized that Wang Li’s whistleblowing is not only about seeking justice for herself but also about giving a voice to numerous silently training athletes who face similar situations.