Eileen Gu defends decision to compete for China over Team USA in statement

Eileen Jo She released a statement on social media on Monday, reflecting on her controversial decision to compete for Team China despite being born and raised in the United States.

Bian Gu linked the decision to her passion for him Promoting women’s sportsEncouraging young girls to practice sports.

“I gave my first Women in Sports and Title IX speech when I was 11,” Jo wrote on Instagram. “I talked about being the only girl on my skating team, and despite attending an all-girls school Monday through Friday, I became best friends with my teammates on the weekends through the shared language of sports.”

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Silver medalist Elaine Gu of China poses for photos after the women’s freestyle skiing awards ceremony in the big air event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, February 16, 2026. (Photo by Wang Ping/Xinhua via Getty Images) (Wang Ping/Xinhua via Getty Images)

“At the same time, I was painfully aware of the lack of representation — at the age of nine, I felt like I was representing all women in some way every time I entered a terrain park. Landing tricks were more than just progress… they were about refuting the cynical implication of what it meant to ‘ski like a girl.’”

Jo went on to express her gratitude for the only season she competed for the United States

“When I was 15, I announced my decision Compete for China. At the time, I had spent one season on the US team, and I was lucky enough to meet my heroes in person. I am eternally grateful for this season, and I continue to maintain a close relationship with the team. I had spent every summer in China since I was eight years old setting up summer camps on trampolines and dry slopes for kids and adults, ages 7 to 47, so I knew the industry was small. “I felt like I knew everyone,” she added.

“Skating for Team China means the opportunity to uplift others through the global culture of the sport, and introduce freestyle skiing to hundreds of millions of people who have never heard of it before, especially with the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics just around the corner.”

Gu concluded by admitting that some people “don’t understand” her decision to run for China over the United States, while insisting that the choice maximized the influence she would have had.

“I can look back now, at 22, and tell 12-year-old Elaine that there are now parks full of little girls, who will never question their place in the sport. I can tell 15-year-old me that there are now millions of girls who have been skating since then, in China and around the world,” Joe wrote.

“Not many people will understand or believe that I made the decision to make as much positive impact as possible on the world stage, at my age, given my interests and passions. After three golds and six medals, I can confidently say that this was a dream that is now a reality.”

Gu has become a target of International criticism of these Olympic Games For her decision to represent China while remaining silent about the country’s alleged human rights violations.

In an interview with Time magazine, Gu was asked about her thoughts on China’s alleged persecution of Uighurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

Joe responded: “I didn’t do the research. I don’t think it’s any of my business. I’m not going to make big claims on my social media.”

“I’m more skeptical when it comes to data in general. So, it’s not like I can read an article and say, ‘Oh, well, this must be the truth.’ I need to get a lot of evidence. Maybe I need to go to the place, and maybe talk to 10 primary sources who are at a location and who have experience living there.

“Then I need to go see pictures. I need to listen to recordings. I need to think about how history has affected it. Then I need to read books about how politics has affected it. This is a lifelong search. It is irresponsible to ask me to be the mouthpiece for any agenda.”

More controversy erupted over Gu after The Wall Street Journal Gu and another American-born athlete now competing for China received a combined sum of $6.6 million from the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau in 2025, it reported.

Gu is the highest paid Winter Olympics athlete In the world, it generated an estimated $23 million in 2025 alone thanks to partnerships with Chinese companies, including the Bank of China and Western companies.

Its alliance with China prompted it Criticism from many Americans These Olympics, including Vice President J.D. Vance.

“I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America and has benefited from our educational system, and the freedoms that make this country a great place, I hope they would want to compete with the United States of America,” Vance said in an interview on Fox News Channel’s “The Story with Martha MacCallum.”

Later, when Gu was asked if she felt “somewhat… Punching bag for a specific string For American policy at the moment,” she said she does.

“I do,” she said. “A lot of athletes compete on behalf of a different country… People only have a problem doing it because they lump China into this homogenous entity, and they hate China. So, it’s not really about what they think it’s about.”

“And also, because I won. Like, if I didn’t do well, I think they probably wouldn’t care as much, which is fine by me. People have a right to their opinions.”

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Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China attends the women’s freestyle ski awards ceremony in the big air event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, February 16, 2026. (Hongxiang/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Gu claimed that she was “Physically assaulted“For the decision.

“The police were called. I received death threats. My place was robbed.” Joe told The Athletic.

“I went through some things when I was 22 that I truly believe no one should ever have to endure.”

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