Eileen Gu Opens Up About Being Physically Attacked After Her 2019 Decision to Compete for China
Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu revealed she was physically assaulted, robbed and received death threats at Stanford University after her 2019 decision to represent China instead of the United States.
KEY FACTS:
- Gu told The Athletic she was “physically assaulted on the street,” had police called, received death threats and had her dorm robbed — all stemming from her decision to compete for China.
- The 22-year-old is currently competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan across all three freestyle skiing events — slopestyle, big air and halfpipe.
- Gu owns more medals across those three disciplines than any freeskier in history, with five.
- She is the highest-paid athlete — male or female — at the 2026 Winter Olympics, earning $23.1 million annually, according to Forbes. Just $100,000 of that comes from prize money.
What Happened
Gu, who was born and raised in the United States, announced in 2019 via Instagram that she would represent China — her mother’s native country — at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. She framed the move as an effort to unite people and inspire young athletes.
“I am proud of my heritage, and equally proud of my American upbringings. The opportunity to help inspire millions of young people where my mom was born, during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help to promote the sport I love,” she wrote at the time.
The backlash went far beyond social media criticism. In her interview with The Athletic, Gu described sustained real-world violence and intimidation.
“I’ve gone through some things as a 22-year-old that I really think no one should ever have to endure, ever,” she said.
Hostility at Stanford
Gu enrolled at Stanford in 2022. Before she arrived, a petition was launched by parents of prospective students and Chinese Americans calling for her to be kept out of the university, according to the outlet.
She enrolled regardless. Gu still lives in the United States.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m carrying the weight of two countries on my shoulders,” she said via The Athletic.
Performing Under Pressure in Milan
At the 2026 Games, Gu is the lone female freeskier contesting all three freestyle events.
She voiced frustration after advancing to the Big Air final on Sunday night over a scheduling clash that would force her to miss one of three planned halfpipe training sessions, calling it “really unfair and difficult for me to deal with.”
Gu answered on the snow Monday night. On her final attempt, she stomped a left double-cork 1260 with a toxic grab, vaulting from sixth place into silver-medal position.
Her original 2019 Instagram post had expressed hope that her decision would bridge cultures: “Through skiing, I hope to unite people, promote common understanding, create communication, and forge friendships between nations. If I can help to inspire one young girl to break a boundary, my wishes will have come true.”
The response she received, by her own telling, was anything but unifying.
BOTTOM LINE: As the 2026 Winter Olympics continue in Milan, Gu — the most decorated and highest-paid athlete at the Games — remains focused on competing in all three freestyle events while publicly reckoning for the first time with the personal violence and threats she says followed her decision to ski for China.
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
