US born Olympian Eileen Gu claims assault and death threats over decision to represent China in Milano Cortina 2026

Eileen Gu says she was physically assaulted and got death threats after choosing to represent China Eileen Gu has shared a painful side of her Olympic journey. The US-born freestyle skier said she was physically assaulted and received death threats after deciding to represent China instead of the United States. In an interview with The Athletic, Eileen Gu said the situation became so serious that police were called when she was attacked near her college campus at Stanford University.

The 22-year-old athlete is competing at the Winter Games in Milano-Cortina. On the snow, she continues to win medals. But away from the slopes, she says she has faced fear and anger from people who did not agree with her choice. Eileen Gu grew up in San Francisco, California. She competed for Team USA when she was younger. At age 15, she chose to switch and compete for China. That decision divided fans and leaders in both countries. She told The Athletic, “Physically assaulted on the street. The police were called. I’ve had death threats. I’ve had my dorm robbed.”

Eileen Gu speaks out after assault claims while competing in Milano-Cortina Winter Games

Eileen Gu’s success on the snow has been historic. She is now the most decorated female freestyle skier in Olympic history with five medals. At the Milano-Cortina Winter Games, she won two silver medals in slopestyle and big air.

Her Olympic rise first caught global attention at the Beijing Games four years ago. Since then, she has become one of the highest-paid female athletes in the world. According to Forbes, she ranks among the top-earning women in sports because of endorsement deals. Her sponsors include Victoria’s Secret and Vogue.

Still, her decision to represent China continues to spark debate. United States Vice President JD Vance said this week that he would not cheer for her. Speaking to FOX, JD Vance said, “Somebody who grew up in the United States of America, who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that make this country a great place, I would hope they would want to compete with the United States of America. So, I will root for American athletes and I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That’s who I am rooting for at this Olympics.”

Despite the noise, Gu has stayed focused on skiing. After her latest medal performance, she posted on Instagram, “Most Olympic medals in freeski history. Thank you.”

She now has 2.6 million followers on Instagram. While she continues to face criticism, she also has strong support from fans around the world.

For Eileen Gu, the story is not only about medals. It is also about identity, pressure, and standing by a personal choice even when the reaction is harsh.



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