Ski Athlete Who 'Abandoned the US and Naturalized' Gains Wealth from Chinese Support... Avoids Answering Questions About Nationality

Declared Naturalization in China 3 Years Ago Despite US National Team Selection
Advertising Contracts with 25 Brands

2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Ski Freestyle Gold Medalist Eileen Gu.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Eileen Gu (18, Chinese name Gu Ailing), the gold medalist in freestyle skiing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, is gaining enthusiastic popularity by sweeping through numerous advertisements in China.

According to Chinese economic media Caijing on the 9th, ahead of the Beijing Olympics, Eileen Gu signed advertising contracts with as many as 25 brands. These include China Mobile, the largest telecom company in China; Bank of China, one of the four major state-owned banks; home appliance maker Midea; Mengniu, the largest dairy company in China; Luckin Coffee; JD.com, one of China's two major e-commerce platforms; sportswear brand Anta; Cadillac; Tiffany; Victoria's Secret; Red Bull; and many overseas companies as well.

The media estimated that Eileen Gu signed advertising contracts worth 20 million yuan (approximately 3.8 billion KRW) last year, making her 'market value' the second highest among Chinese athletes in history, following basketball legend Yao Ming (姚明).

Eileen Gu of China cheers after securing the gold medal in the women's big air freestyle skiing final at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics held on the 8th at the Big Air Stadium in Shougang, Beijing, China. / Photo by Yonhap News

On the 8th, Eileen Gu won the gold medal in women's big air freestyle skiing at the Beijing Olympics. Born in San Francisco, USA, she is the daughter of an American father and a Chinese mother. She started skiing at a young age and grew into a top American prospect. Although selected for the U.S. national team, she declared Chinese naturalization three years ago. Amid escalating U.S.-China tensions, her nationality and the circumstances of her representing China attracted public attention.

At a two-hour press conference after the competition on the 8th, the biggest focus was on Eileen Gu's nationality. Chinese nationality law does not recognize dual citizenship.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that Gu was asked at least six times during the press conference whether she holds U.S. citizenship.

In a four-minute video edited by CNN titled 'Nationality Questions,' Gu Ailing said in English, "I am always grateful to the U.S. and the U.S. team for their support, and at the same time, I am thankful to China and the Chinese team for their encouragement and help. Sports can unite many people. Sports have nothing to do with nationality."

Despite repeated questions about her nationality, she said, "In the U.S., I feel American; in China, I feel Chinese. I spent 25-30% of each year growing up in China. I am fluent in both Chinese and English and culturally connected to both." She emphasized, "I do not think I am benefiting by using both countries. My mission is to use sports as a force for unity."

The Guardian evaluated, "She skillfully avoided answering directly. It was remarkable how she managed the most delicate geopolitical issues without angering the Chinese government."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.