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Why China’s Olympic stars are hiding from fans
Extreme fan culture has spread from entertainers to athletes.
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Experts said the emergence of extreme fandom in sports was likely a reflection of the rising status of athletes as marketable stars.
PHOTO: AFP
Vivian Wang
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BEIJING – A gold medallist diver’s mother said she was afraid for her daughter to come home after their home town was swarmed by her supporters. A champion swimmer whose hotel was staked out by admirers disbanded his official fan group and told an interviewer he would rather have performed worse if it meant he would be left alone.
Other athletes have been hounded by crowds at airports or been the subject of vicious arguments online between rival fan camps, leading Chinese official media to denounce fans for being “visibly aggressive”.
