After her standout Winter Olympics 2026 campaign, Alysa Liu has quickly come to the defense of fellow star Eileen Gu, criticizing what she says is a glaring double standard aimed at the snowboarder for competing for China.
Liu and Gu are both Chinese-American athletes, but they made different choices about which nation to represent on the Olympic stage. Liu skated for Team USA, while Gu chose to compete for Team China — a decision that triggered a harsh backlash from some critics who accused her of being a “traitor.”
Before and during the Games, Gu reiterated that her choice was personal: though she was born in the United States, she wanted to honor and increase representation for her mother’s homeland.
The criticism didn’t stay confined to casual online debate, either. The reaction escalated into waves of hostile commentary — including remarks from Vice President JD Vance — that spread widely on social media and reportedly fueled tension even within sporting circles.
One prominent voice pushing back is Liu, the Olympic figure skating champion and daughter of a Chinese immigrant who moved to the U.S. in 1989.
Speaking to The New York Times, Liu said the outrage directed at Gu reveals hypocrisy, particularly in how differently the public frames their two choices.
Liu noted that she’s been celebrated as an “American hero,” while Gu has been condemned for making a different — but equally valid — decision.
“I’ve known Eileen since I was 13 or something,” the ice skater said. “We’re from the Bay Area. She’s super nice, and her mom is from China.”
The gold medalist continued, “I think people are hypocritical for shaming her for representing China. So in my head it’s a bit hypocritical, because her mom is an immigrant. Y’all would have told her to go back to China. Now that they’re back in China, you’re mad.”
Liu added, “And it’s sport. It doesn’t matter what country we represent. Sport is sport, and she has a love for competition, she has love for the game. I think that’s all that matters. There’s no shame in going where the opportunity is.”
And scrutiny around national loyalty wasn’t the only uncomfortable moment Gu faced at the Olympics. After landing gold in the women’s halfpipe — alongside two silvers in big air and slopestyle — she was met with a press conference question that many viewers felt missed the point entirely.
Instead of focusing on her achievements, a reporter asked whether her 2026 results should be viewed as “two silvers gained or two golds lost.”
Gu shut down the premise immediately, responding with humor and confidence: “I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history. I think that’s an answer in and of itself. How do I say this? Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder.”
“The two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing,” she continued. “I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before and so I think that is more than good enough, but thank you.”