Eileen Gu, US-born ski star competing for China, has reportedly raked in loads of cash from Chinese sponsorship deals: 'You’ve got to pick a side'



Critics found more fodder for their critique of Eileen Gu this week as reports surfaced showing the ski superstar — who was born and raised in the U.S. but is competing for China in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics — has benefitted heavily from her decision to suit up for Team China.

What are the details?

Gu, 18, has drawn intense backlash from many Americans over her decision to compete for the communist country in this year's Games, especially considering that under International Olympic Committee rules and Chinese citizenship requirements, she would have had to renounce her U.S. citizenship and become naturalized in China in order to compete.

Gu has so far stayed mum on the topic and meanwhile is "laughing all the way to the bank," according to Yahoo Sports.

Yahoo, citing Chinese news outlet Tianxiashangwang, reported on Tuesday that since the start of 2021, the freestyle skier has raked in more than $42 million in sponsorship and endorsement deals.

According to Business Insider, at least $31 million of that total has come from more than 20 deals with Chinese companies — including Bank of China, China Mobile, milk company Mengniu, and Luckin’ Coffee. Campaignasia.com reported that a single endorsement deal with the skier costs about $2.5 million.

Reuters added that sales of her red Anta ski suit surged 20-fold on Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com and that Luckin' Coffee sold out of her endorsed drinks shortly after she won gold in the freeski big air event last week.

The impressive sum is only expected to grow by leaps and bounds considering Gu's success so far in the Olympics. On Tuesday, she followed up her gold medal performance by notching a silver medal in slopestyle, and she still has a halfpipe event to come.

What else?

"She is the golden star for the country with the fastest-growing economy," American expert Mike Hanley said, according to Yahoo, adding, "She can be the Tony Hawk of winter sports in China."

"She’s going to be as big as Yao Ming was," noted publicist Jeff Ruffolo. "These Olympics are going to be her NBA."

In China, Gu is known as the "Snow Princess." After her gold medal run last week, her victory dominated searches on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, with more than 90,000 comments being posted in less than 30 minutes. The traffic reportedly caused the social media platform to temporarily crash.

Her newfound superstardom in China, though lucrative, is considered to be the likely motivation for her apparent defection from the U.S. And her decision to compete for a country that restricts freedom for residents and is known for its human rights abuses has roiled some, including former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley.

"In terms of the citizenship, look, China or the U.S.? You have got to pick a side. Period,” Haley told Real Clear Politics’ Phillip Wegmann in an interview published Tuesday. "You’ve got to pick a side because you’re either American or you’re Chinese, and they are two very different countries. Every athlete needs to know when they put their flag on, you’re standing for freedom or you’re standing for human rights abuses."

Former Missouri lawmaker Claire McCaskill added last week, "I don't get it. And never will. I think it is wrong for an American to compete for China."

"China represses free speech," she said, and "is well known for their human rights violations," in reference to the country's forced labor tactics against the Muslim Uyghur population in the northwest region of China.

"Did she abandon her U.S. citizenship or not?" McCaskill asked.

Gu has refused to answer questions about her citizenship, saying only that she feels American when she's in America and Chinese when she's in China. China does not allow dual citizenship.

Anything else?

Gu was born and raised in California and plans to attend Stanford University in the fall. She was born to an American father and a Chinese mother.

In 2019, she announced that she would compete for China in the upcoming Winter Olympics as a way to unite two countries and inspire young Chinese girls.

US-born and raised ski star Eileen Gu faces backlash after taking home Olympic gold for China, fires back at critics with a biting response



An American ski star who was born and raised in California and plans to attend Stanford University in the fall just won gold while competing for China at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing — and the news is generating mixed reactions on social media.

What are the details?

Eileen Gu, 18, first made headlines in 2019 when she announced that she would be competing in the Olympics under the flag of her mother's home country, China. Gu was raised all of her life in California by an American father and a Chinese mother.

But now, with newfound international fame and an Olympic gold medal under her belt for the women's freeski big air event, her controversial decision to compete for China has drawn more intense scrutiny.

Gu for GOLD. \n\nEileen Gu wins Women's Big Air gold with a double cork 1620 on her final run. #WinterOlympicspic.twitter.com/VMC8T19xvB
— NBC Sports (@NBC Sports) 1644290373

While many commenters on social media celebrated Gu's victory on Tuesday, others justifiably questioned why the up-and-coming celebrity would use her talents to serve a communist country known for authoritarian rule and long suspected of committing human rights atrocities.

Notably, former Missouri lawmaker Claire McCaskill said, "I don't get it. And never will. I think it is wrong for an American to compete for China."

"China represses free speech," she added, and "is well known for their human rights violations," including the country's forced labor tactics against the Muslim Uyghur population in the northwest region of China.

I don\u2019t get it. And never will. I think it is wrong for an American to compete for China. China is represses free speech, is well known for their human rights violations. Did she abandon her US citizenship or not? (China does not have dual citizenship) ugh. #EileenGu
— Claire McCaskill (@Claire McCaskill) 1644294259

McCaskill went on to ask a question that many have asked Gu since the start of the Olympics: "Did she abandon her U.S. citizenship or not?"

It remains unclear whether Gu has renounced her U.S. citizenship, a move that is normally required for Chinese naturalization since the country does not allow dual citizenship. The skier was asked about the matter by reporters on numerous occasions during her post-gold medal press conference, but each time she refused to answer, saying only that she felt American in the U.S. and Chinese in China, according to CNN.

What else?

Other critics have suggested that Gu only decided to compete for China as a publicity maneuver, knowing her success would earn her unique fame and fortune in China.

That perception has been bolstered by the immense praise of her so far by Chinese fans and government authorities.

Following her gold medal run on Tuesday, the topic dominated searches on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, as more than 90,000 comments were posted in less than 30 minutes about her win. The social media platform temporarily crashed due to the traffic.

CNN also noted that Chinese authorities were "unusually" quick to congratulate Gu.

ESPN reported that Gu's decision was a "lucrative one" for her on-the-side modeling career, adding that "her face is on advertisements across Beijing, and she has been photographed for Vogue, Victoria's Secret, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, and more."

China's support for Gu stands in stark contrast to the anger and vitriol that has come to her fellow American-born Olympian, figure skater Zhu Yi, who is competing in Beijing for China but has not had success.

What is she saying?

In response to the criticism, Gu reportedly shot back, saying, "If people don't like me, then that's their loss. They're never going to win the Olympics."

Her dismissive remark mirrored a comment she made on her TikTok last month after a critic asked, "Why China tho... you grew up in San Francisco?" The user posted a money bag emoji along with the comment, suggesting she had financial motives.

"Cry ab it [cry about it]," she responded.

In her 2019 announcement on Instagram, Gu said she decided to ski for China to inspire young Chinese women.

"This was an incredibly tough decision for me to make," she said. "I am extremely thankful for U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the Chinese Ski Association for having the vision and belief in me to make my dreams come true. 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 continued. "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."