https://www.scmp.com/rss/319437/feed The 2022 Winter Olympics, the 24th winter Olympiad, were held in Beijing, China between 4-20 February 2022. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Olympic gold medallists and short-track speed skaters Shaolin Sándor Liu and Liu Shaoang are in the spotlight again. The brothers walked the runway at the 10th anniversary show of the Chinese-born designer Feng Chen Wang’s eponymous label at Shanghai Fashion Week at the end of March, much to their fans’ delight. It marked their fashion runway debut. Born to a Hungarian mother and Chinese father, the Lius competed for Hungary at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, making history for Hungary with... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350461/meet-liu-shaoang-and-shaolin-sandor-liu-olympic-gold-skaters-who-made-their-runway-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350461/meet-liu-shaoang-and-shaolin-sandor-liu-olympic-gold-skaters-who-made-their-runway-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Switzerland have fired the ice hockey coach who admitted he used a certificate falsely claiming he had been vaccinated against Covid-19 to get around China’s travel restrictions for the 2022 Winter Olympics. In a statement late Monday, head coach Patrick Fischer said he made a “serious mistake in this matter” by travelling to Beijing with the Switzerland men’s team using false paperwork. The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation initially supported him, saying the case was closed because he had admitted... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3350252/switzerland-fire-ice-hockey-coach-who-entered-china-false-covid-19-vaccine-certificate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3350252/switzerland-fire-ice-hockey-coach-who-entered-china-false-covid-19-vaccine-certificate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:41:23 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Swiss ice hockey coach Patrick Fischer has admitted he used a certificate falsely claiming he had been vaccinated against Covid-19 to get around China’s travel restrictions for the 2022 Winter Olympics. In a statement late Monday, Fischer said he made a “serious mistake in this matter” by travelling to Beijing with the Switzerland men’s team using false paperwork. “I’m very sorry if I’ve disappointed people with this situation,” Fischer said. “I was in an extraordinary personal crisis because I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3350045/ice-hockey-coach-admits-using-false-covid-19-vaccine-certificate-enter-china-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3350045/ice-hockey-coach-admits-using-false-covid-19-vaccine-certificate-enter-china-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:24:11 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan Athletes of Asian heritage have come to the fore at this month’s Winter Olympics. They broke records, reshaped perceptions and inspired millions worldwide. Yet in the United States, the conversation around two of the most successful athletes, Eileen Gu, the freestyle skier representing China, and Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu, has too often drifted from their incredible achievements to questions of identity, loyalty and partisan point-scoring. This speaks volumes about the anxieties of a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3345433/let-achievements-eileen-gu-and-alysa-liu-speak-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3345433/let-achievements-eileen-gu-and-alysa-liu-speak-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang Freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu said representing China had allowed her to fulfil her mission of popularising winter sport and dismantling gender barriers, but acknowledged it was something “a lot of people won’t understand or believe”. The 22-year-old, who brought her career total to six medals at last month’s Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, wrote on social media on Tuesday that her decision had turned her dreams into reality and maximised her global impact, encouraging young girls especially... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3345392/eileen-gu-says-people-wont-understand-or-believe-why-she-decided-compete-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3345392/eileen-gu-says-people-wont-understand-or-believe-why-she-decided-compete-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Team USA freestyle skier Alex Hall – who took home the gold in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing for men’s freestyle skiing (slopestyle) – is not too bothered about defending his title at this year’s Milano Cortina Games. “It’s cool I got a medal four years ago, but I’m just here to ride. I’m not really thinking, ‘I’ve got to defend it.’ There’s nothing really to defend. I’m just going out to ski and have some fun,” Hall said at a press conference ahead of the competition. Here’s what to know... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3343182/meet-alex-hall-freestyle-skiings-2022-olympic-champion-competing-milano-cortina-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3343182/meet-alex-hall-freestyle-skiings-2022-olympic-champion-competing-milano-cortina-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Snowboarder Shaun White stopped competing after the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, but the three-time Olympic gold medallist is still very much involved in the sport that made him famous. He is the founder of The Snow League, a snowboarding and free-skiing circuit that also mentors young athletes, and of Whitespace, a performance brand that specialises in boards and ski gear. He is also a brand ambassador for Moncler Grenoble, the performance-wear line of the luxury outerwear company, and has... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3342035/shaun-white-returning-olympics-commentator-and-mentoring-young-snowboarders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3342035/shaun-white-returning-olympics-commentator-and-mentoring-young-snowboarders?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 03:00:49 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Eileen Gu soared to double Olympic gold as a teenager four years ago, but it was the colour of her passport that drew as much scrutiny as her stunning displays. Gu was born and raised in San Francisco and started her freeskiing career representing the United States, only to switch allegiance to China – where her mother is from – in 2019. That decision drew intense interest at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics when she delivered two golds and a silver for the hosts and became one of the faces of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3341937/eileen-gu-be-spotlight-winter-olympics-again-passport-issue-refuses-go-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3341937/eileen-gu-be-spotlight-winter-olympics-again-passport-issue-refuses-go-away?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 07:45:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder for Canada who was among the FBI’s top fugitives and faces charges related to multinational drug trafficking and the killing of a federal witness, was arrested on Friday, two people familiar with the matter told Associated Press. Wedding, 44, is accused of running a drug trafficking operation and officials say he orchestrated several killings to further the drug crimes. He was on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list and authorities had offered a US$15 million... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341065/ryan-wedding-arrested-ex-olympian-fugitive-fbis-most-wanted-list-caught-mexico?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341065/ryan-wedding-arrested-ex-olympian-fugitive-fbis-most-wanted-list-caught-mexico?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:00:39 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li Hong Kong speed skater Darren Kwok Tsz-fung said he was excited to finally race against the world’s elite when he competes at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina next month. Kwok, who served as a reserve at the 2022 Beijing Games four years ago, is one of two short-track speed skaters from the city to be selected for the Games in Italy. This will be the sixth time the city will compete at the highest level of winter sport. “When I met those top athletes back then, I could only dream of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3340719/hong-kong-short-track-speedskating-duo-secure-spots-milano-cortina-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3340719/hong-kong-short-track-speedskating-duo-secure-spots-milano-cortina-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:42:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press If winning gold medals were the only standard, almost all Olympic athletes would be considered failures. The job of Emily Clark, a clinical psychologist with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), when the Winter Games open in Italy on February 6, is to help athletes interpret what it means to be successful. Should gold medals be the only measure? Part of a 15-member staff providing psychological services, Clark nurtures athletes accustomed to triumph but who invariably risk... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3339578/how-olympians-think-about-success-and-failure-and-what-we-can-learn-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3339578/how-olympians-think-about-success-and-failure-and-what-we-can-learn-them?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li Olympic snowboard champion Su Yiming has become China’s first overall winner of the FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup and has also added another Guinness World Record to his name as he builds towards defending his Winter Games title at Milano Cortina 2026. The 21-year-old secured the Crystal Globe trophy for the 2025-26 Big Air season after back-to-back World Cup victories at Genting Resort Secret Garden in Zhangjiakou and the Shougang Big Air Jump in Beijing, placing him top of the overall Big... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3337734/olympic-snowboarding-champion-su-yiming-becomes-first-chinese-winner-big-air-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3337734/olympic-snowboarding-champion-su-yiming-becomes-first-chinese-winner-big-air-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:44:27 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li The 2026 Winter Olympics has come too soon for some of Hong Kong’s young athletes, but the next generation of speed skating hopefuls is already taking aim at future Games. Inspired by Sidney Chu’s appearance at the 2022 edition in Beijing, scores of skaters – the youngest just five years old – took to the ice at Discovery Bay for the annual Hong Kong Cup on Tuesday. Tristan Lo Cheuk-yan took the men’s elite Junior A 1,000m and 500m titles, clocking one minute, 41.72 seconds and 47.029 seconds,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3337655/young-speed-skaters-inspired-olympian-sidney-chu-take-ice-annual-hong-kong-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3337655/young-speed-skaters-inspired-olympian-sidney-chu-take-ice-annual-hong-kong-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 00:00:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press There will be no backup stadium if the main ice hockey arena for the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games is not ready on time, officials have said. Construction on the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which is set to welcome NHL players back to the Olympics for the first time in more than a decade, is behind schedule and its completion is going right down to the wire. A test event at the arena – a new, 16,000-seat venue on the outskirts of Milan – had to be moved, and new test events are not... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3334686/milan-olympic-winter-games-no-backup-ice-hockey-arena-construction-goes-down-wire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3334686/milan-olympic-winter-games-no-backup-ice-hockey-arena-construction-goes-down-wire?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 15:00:09 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Multicoloured fireworks, arranged in a meandering line that resembled a dragon crawling along a pastoral mountain ridge, exploded at the foot of the Himalayas in September. Cai Guo-qiang, the 67-year-old Chinese artist behind the spectacle, has long been a global heavyweight in the contemporary arts. For decades, the arsonist-artist best known for setting his work alight was deemed to have perfected the delicate art of maintaining official approval in both the West and mainland China. This... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3330755/who-cai-guoqiang-and-will-artists-reputation-survive-recent-controversies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3330755/who-cai-guoqiang-and-will-artists-reputation-survive-recent-controversies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 23:15:11 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer China’s Olympic champion snowboarder Su Yiming has claimed to have become the first person to land two successive 1980-degree spins, sharing a video of the feat on his social media pages. Su, who won gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in the big air event, on Wednesday uploaded the video and wrote: “Been thinking about this new combo for a long time! Still pretty dizzy!!” On Thursday, Su posted the video on Chinese social media and said he was the first person to accomplish it. “Happy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3328515/chinas-su-yiming-happy-be-first-world-perform-dual-1980-degree-spins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3328515/chinas-su-yiming-happy-be-first-world-perform-dual-1980-degree-spins?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Snowboarding great Shaun White brought the once outsider sport into the mainstream as a competitor and is now looking to carve a path for the next generation of professional riders with the launch of his Snow League. The inaugural season kicks off with a half-pipe competition from March 7-8 in Aspen, where 36 athletes – including reigning Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano of Japan – will begin a quest to be crowned the first-ever Snow League world champions. White, a three-time Olympic gold... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3300809/olympic-champion-shaun-white-set-revolutionise-snowboarding-again-his-snow-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3300809/olympic-champion-shaun-white-set-revolutionise-snowboarding-again-his-snow-league?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 11:00:19 +0000 China, with a team made up of two reigning Olympic champions and two skiers who had already won individual titles at the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup at Beidahu Ski Resort, comfortably won the mixed aerials team event on Monday. Knowing his score was a good one, 2022 Beijing Olympic Aerials champion Qi Guangpu, who was the third jumper, gestured for his teammates to start ringing in the cheers as soon as he landed. Qi’s score of 123.53 helped the team leapfrog the United States trio, lifting them... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3299873/xu-mengtao-li-tianma-lead-chinese-1-2-finishes-fis-freestyle-ski-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3299873/xu-mengtao-li-tianma-lead-chinese-1-2-finishes-fis-freestyle-ski-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Feb 2025 07:00:07 +0000 Three years ago, Adrian Yung Hau-tsuen was feeling on top of the world. The first male skier from Hong Kong to qualify for a Winter Olympics, the then 17-year-old headed to Beijing full of the optimism of youth and with a determination to give it “120 per cent against the world’s best”. Things did not turn out exactly as planned. Yung crashed out of both the giant slalom and slalom, and after his first run in the former admitted to lacking confidence and struggling to control his nerves. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3296049/path-olympic-redemption-starts-chinas-asian-winter-games-hong-kong-skier-yung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3296049/path-olympic-redemption-starts-chinas-asian-winter-games-hong-kong-skier-yung?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jan 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger was killed on Monday in an avalanche in her native Switzerland, just days after her 26th birthday. The country’s winter sports federation, Swiss Ski, announced on Tuesday that the young athlete – a member of Switzerland’s snowboard cross team at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics – died in the resort town of Arosa, on the heels of her December 14 birthday. Local authorities said Hediger was practising off-piste, or away from prepared ski runs, with someone else... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3292210/swiss-olympic-snowboarder-sophie-hediger-killed-avalanche-days-after-her-26th-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3292210/swiss-olympic-snowboarder-sophie-hediger-killed-avalanche-days-after-her-26th-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2024 02:30:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang China’s Olympic champion skier Eileen Gu is facing criticism online after videos emerged of her dancing intimately with a French swimmer accused of disrespecting a Chinese sports coach. The video, which surfaced as the Paris Olympics came to a close, shows Gu interacting intimately with Games swimming champion Leon Marchand in a Paris nightclub. At one point, Gu can be seen holding an Olympic gold medal while making a kissing gesture, leading to speculation that the medal belonged to Marchand... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3274453/china-netizens-accuse-two-faced-skier-eileen-gu-over-links-arrogant-french-swimmer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3274453/china-netizens-accuse-two-faced-skier-eileen-gu-over-links-arrogant-french-swimmer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2024 10:02:50 +0000 Naturalised speed skater Lin Xiaojun, who was banned from representing South Korea because of a now-overturned sexual harassment charge, has vowed to win a gold medal for his adopted country, claiming he is “already Chinese”. Olympic gold medallist Lin – born Lim Hyo-jun in Daegu, South Korea – became a Chinese athlete almost exactly four years ago when the Chinese Skating Association snapped him up following his ban from training in and competing under the Taegeukgi. Although Lin missed out on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3266176/lin-xiaojun-speed-skater-who-switched-south-korea-china-vows-win-over-public?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3266176/lin-xiaojun-speed-skater-who-switched-south-korea-china-vows-win-over-public?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:13 +0000 When it comes to icy slopes, no sports are faster, fancier or more downright dangerous than skiing and snowboarding. For athletes willing to take the plunge though, the adrenaline rush is worth it. Those that reach the glittering heights of their careers also become sought after as brand ambassadors, leading to lucrative partnerships – and, after retiring, many go on to create successful brands related to their sport. All of this means just one thing: great runs on the slope can translate to big... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3263037/7-richest-skiers-and-snowboarders-world-net-worths-ranked-lindsey-vonn-and-shaun-white-make-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3263037/7-richest-skiers-and-snowboarders-world-net-worths-ranked-lindsey-vonn-and-shaun-white-make-list?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2024 21:00:18 +0000 The decision by the highest court in sport to ban Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva for doping violations at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 does not mean an end to the matter. US skaters will receive gold medals after they finished second behind Valieva and her teammates in the team competition, while Japan are likely to get silver. The Russian team could still get bronze, depending how scores are calculated, if they don’t, Canada benefit. The case rocked the Olympics when, about 24... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3250277/who-gets-olympic-gold-silver-and-bronze-now-russian-skater-valieva-has-been-banned-doping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3250277/who-gets-olympic-gold-silver-and-bronze-now-russian-skater-valieva-has-been-banned-doping?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jan 2024 09:30:11 +0000 Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva received a four-year doping ban on Monday, effectively stripping the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) of its gold medal in the team event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games nearly two years after the competition. In its long-awaited ruling, the highest court in sport found Valieva guilty of committing an anti-doping rule violation that rattled the Beijing Olympics and frustrated competitors who are still waiting for their medals from the event to be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3250222/figure-skater-kamila-valieva-banned-doping-russians-lose-olympic-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3250222/figure-skater-kamila-valieva-banned-doping-russians-lose-olympic-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:28:42 +0000 Yuzuru Hanyu is regarded as one of the greatest figure skaters the sport has ever seen. Along with German legend Jan Hoffmann, Hanyu is the most decorated world champion of all time, having earned seven world championship medals over his illustrious, decade-long career. With two Olympic golds from Sochi (2014) and Pyeongchang (2018) and two world championships, he’s broken records for getting the highest scores ever in the men’s short programme, free skate and total points. His signature triple... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3248065/meet-yuzuru-hanyu-japans-figure-skating-world-champion-winning-olympic-golds-endorsing-brands-kose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3248065/meet-yuzuru-hanyu-japans-figure-skating-world-champion-winning-olympic-golds-endorsing-brands-kose?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jan 2024 07:51:57 +0000 China ended the Beijing leg of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating on the podium, with Ning Zhongyan taking bronze in the men’s 1,000m race on Sunday. Ning crossed the finish line in one minute, 09.03 seconds, less than a second behind three-time Olympic champion Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands, and trailing second-place finisher Havard Holmefjord Lorentzen of Norway by 0.04 seconds. Third place was an improvement for Ning, who finished fifth in the same event when he made his debut at the Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3242180/speed-skating-world-cup-chinese-olympic-speed-skater-ning-zhongyan-bags-third-medal-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3242180/speed-skating-world-cup-chinese-olympic-speed-skater-ning-zhongyan-bags-third-medal-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:38:19 +0000 Chinese snowboarder Su Yiming has hit the slopes again after a year away from the sport, and said winning gold at the Beijing Winter Olympics left him “confused”. The teenager won two medals, gold in big air and silver in slopestyle, at last year’s Games, but said the experience left him feeling mentally and physically drained. Now refreshed after what coach Yasuhiro Sato called “burnout syndrome”, Su is eyeing a return to the slopes for the coming World Cup season. Beyond the physical toll, Su... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3241359/chinese-snowboarder-su-yiming-says-olympic-gold-medal-left-him-confused-he-returns-after-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3241359/chinese-snowboarder-su-yiming-says-olympic-gold-medal-left-him-confused-he-returns-after-year?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Nov 2023 09:18:11 +0000 First, the chief of the Chinese Football Association and his senior associates were investigated. Then a deputy sports minister was arrested, followed by several heads of other national sports administrations, including winter sports, track and field and rowing. By late September, the latest work group from the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) had landed several blows on the General Administration of Sport (GAS), netting the director of the Winter Sports... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3235409/why-so-many-sport-chiefs-china-have-come-under-corruption-clouds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3235409/why-so-many-sport-chiefs-china-have-come-under-corruption-clouds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Sep 2023 22:00:13 +0000 Eileen Gu’s schedule would put a top CEO’s or seasoned politician’s to shame. The morning of her Style cover shoot, the freestyle skier and Olympic gold medallist arrived in New York, after catching a flight from Northern California, where she attends Stanford University. She had spent the previous day taking classes in subjects ranging from psychology to economics and quantum physics, diligently doing her homework, training at the gym and socialising with friends – all in a day’s work for a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3233484/eileen-gu-fashion-fame-and-success-olympic-idol-opens-about-discrimination-her-chinese-roots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3233484/eileen-gu-fashion-fame-and-success-olympic-idol-opens-about-discrimination-her-chinese-roots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Sep 2023 03:00:18 +0000 China said on Saturday the former chief of its Winter Olympic delegation was under investigation for suspected corruption, as the government pursues a crackdown on graft in the sport sector. Ni Huizhong, who most recently headed the country’s winter sports management office, “is suspected of serious violations of discipline and law”, the General Administration of Sport said, using a common byword for alleged corruption. Ni, 54, previously served as secretary general of the Chinese delegation for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3232395/corruption-china-country-investigates-its-beijing-2022-winter-olympics-delegation-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3232395/corruption-china-country-investigates-its-beijing-2022-winter-olympics-delegation-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Aug 2023 05:53:01 +0000 One half of China’s reigning Olympic pairs figure skating champions has announced his retirement because of a persistent injury, meaning they will not return to defend their title at Milano-Cortina. Two-time world champions Han Cong and Sui Wenjing took to social media on Tuesday to explain their planned absence from the 2026 Winter Games. “I am sorry to announce that I have decided to withdraw from all competitions in the Milan cycle,” 31-year-old Han wrote. “One and a half years after the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3231277/chinas-olympic-pairs-figure-skating-champions-will-not-defend-title-2026-winter-games-after-han-cong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3231277/chinas-olympic-pairs-figure-skating-champions-will-not-defend-title-2026-winter-games-after-han-cong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Aug 2023 09:45:14 +0000 Sport and politics do not mix. Sadly, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep them apart. The war in Ukraine and broader global tensions, including differences between China and the West, have created challenges for those competing in and organising international sporting events. China raised concerns with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on May 6. Premier Li Qiang met IOC chief Thomas Bach in Beijing and stressed that China is ready to “work with the IOC to oppose the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3220474/sport-and-politics-should-be-kept-far-apart-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3220474/sport-and-politics-should-be-kept-far-apart-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 May 2023 21:15:12 +0000 The most successful athlete at the Beijing Winter Paralympics has questioned whether its legacy has been wasted when it comes to China’s skiers. Norwegian Jesper Saltvik Pedersen, who won four golds and a silver at the 2022 event, said he had not seen a single Chinese competitor on the World Para Alpine Skiing World Cup circuit this year. On Saturday, the country reported it had achieved a surplus of 350 million yuan (US$52 million) from its organisational budget for the Winter Olympics and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3219837/most-successful-beijing-winter-paralympics-athlete-pedersen-fears-china-has-wasted-legacy-2022-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3219837/most-successful-beijing-winter-paralympics-athlete-pedersen-fears-china-has-wasted-legacy-2022-games?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 May 2023 23:00:11 +0000 Eileen Gu added another piece of silverware to her already impressive collection at the Laureus World Sports Awards, and said it was “a huge honour” to be recognised for her achievements. The 19-year-old was crowned action sportsperson of the year at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday night, where she rubbed shoulders with the world’s best athletes, including Lionel Messi, who was named sportsman of the year, and sprinter Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who topped the sportswoman category. After... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3219849/laureus-world-sports-awards-chinas-eileen-gu-crowned-action-sportsperson-year-messi-wins-sportsman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3219849/laureus-world-sports-awards-chinas-eileen-gu-crowned-action-sportsperson-year-messi-wins-sportsman?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 May 2023 17:45:08 +0000 Ann Cao,Tracy Qu Ann Cao,Tracy Qu When the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) launched pilot trials for the e-CNY at the end of 2019, it selected cities based on factors such as major national development and coordinated regional expansion strategies, as well as location-specific industrial and economic features. Suzhou, the most populous city in eastern Jiangsu province, ticked all the right boxes just like the other initial test sites – Shenzhen, Xiongan and Chengdu. With an economy built on a large manufacturing sector, Suzhou has... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3212245/chinas-ambitious-e-cny-plan-faces-one-giant-hurdle-winning-over-1-billion-consumers-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3212245/chinas-ambitious-e-cny-plan-faces-one-giant-hurdle-winning-over-1-billion-consumers-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Mar 2023 02:00:13 +0000 Patti Zhou took a historic silver in the women’s snowboard superpipe final at Winter Dew Tour in Copper Mountain, Colorado on Saturday. The youngest Winter Dew Tour competitor ever, the 11-year-old from China delivered a backside 720 and switch backside 720 on her first run, taking a score of 89.33 points. She stunned the crowd again with a combination of a backside 900, frontside 720 and switch backside 540 on her second attempt to take 90.66. After falling on both her third and fourth run,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3211589/chinese-prodigy-zhou-takes-silver-snowboard-superpipe-winter-dew-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3211589/chinese-prodigy-zhou-takes-silver-snowboard-superpipe-winter-dew-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Feb 2023 08:31:04 +0000 The Beijing Winter Olympics is already inspiring the next generation, and an 11-year-old snowboarder from China tearing up the slopes of Colorado is proof of that. Patti Zhou is already being talked about as the next big thing in the sport, and her chance to show that could come as early as this weekend, when she makes her Dew Tour debut in Cooper Mountain. The Beijing-born athlete, who is now based in the US, is expected to compete in the halfpipe and super streetstyle competitions on Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3211342/inspired-eileen-gu-and-su-yiming-next-big-thing-snowboarding-chinese-11-year-old-who-loves-jokes-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3211342/inspired-eileen-gu-and-su-yiming-next-big-thing-snowboarding-chinese-11-year-old-who-loves-jokes-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Feb 2023 03:06:22 +0000 China’s Eileen Gu is among a host of world-class athletes, including Lionel Messi, Rafael Nadal and Katie Ledecky, who have been nominated for the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards. Gu’s double gold medal-winning performance at the Beijing Winter Olympics has earned her a nod in the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award, while snowboarder Chloe Kim, who defended the half-pipe gold she won as a teenager, is also nominated. The Stanford University student, who won the big and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3210846/laureus-world-sports-awards-chinas-eileen-gu-nominated-alongside-likes-lionel-messi-rafael-nadal-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3210846/laureus-world-sports-awards-chinas-eileen-gu-nominated-alongside-likes-lionel-messi-rafael-nadal-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Feb 2023 10:33:14 +0000 South Korean teen Gaon Choi bagged her country’s first ever gold at the Winter X Games in the US, becoming the youngest winner of the snowboard halfpipe event and breaking Chloe Kim’s record in the process At 14 years and two months old, Choi was six months younger than the American when she set the previous record for being the youngest to be crowned halfpipe champion. Choi, the world junior champion, landed three different 900s – switch backside 900 Weddle, frontside 900 and also a backside... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3208376/winter-x-games-gaon-choi-14-breaks-chloe-kim-record-become-youngest-snowboard-halfpipe-champion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3208376/winter-x-games-gaon-choi-14-breaks-chloe-kim-record-become-youngest-snowboard-halfpipe-champion?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jan 2023 13:56:38 +0000 In the sports and fashion world, 2022 was the year of Eileen Gu. The American-born free-skiing prodigy enjoyed an avalanche of wins both on and off the slopes, from her gold medals at the Beijing Winter Olympics and being named one of Time’s 100 most influential people, to starting university life at Stanford. “Honestly, this year felt like 10,” she captioned a New Year’s Day Instagram post, “I learned so much about myself and the person I want to be in the process of dealing with unexpected... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3207248/13-eileen-gus-hottest-ever-fashion-looks-us-born-chinese-olympics-champ-wore-louis-vuitton-gown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3207248/13-eileen-gus-hottest-ever-fashion-looks-us-born-chinese-olympics-champ-wore-louis-vuitton-gown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jan 2023 23:00:14 +0000 Almost a year after the Winter Olympics in Beijing, and China’s newest generation of stars are turning their attention to the next Games in Milan in 2026. Desperate to follow in the footsteps of gold medallists Eileen Gu, Su Yiming and Qi Guangpu, young cross-country skiing, biathlon and snowboarding athletes have been polishing their skills in northeast China’s Jilin Province. So, while Gu and Yiming prepare for the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup and Winter X Games this month, Li Geliang, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3205289/chinese-athletes-aiming-follow-eileen-gus-footsteps-preparations-begin-2026-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3205289/chinese-athletes-aiming-follow-eileen-gus-footsteps-preparations-begin-2026-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jan 2023 06:30:09 +0000 One of the year’s biggest highlights is perhaps how the Beijing Winter Olympics and Qatar World Cup have both inspired and outraged so many. The major sporting events attracted boycott calls and elevated the debate on politics in sports. Particularly disappointing was the hypocrisy displayed by sporting nations. Take, for a start, the US-led diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Games on human rights grounds. It seemed paradoxical that American athletes were allowed to compete and US officials... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3203883/qatar-world-cup-beijing-olympics-heres-inconvenient-truth-about-sporting-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3203883/qatar-world-cup-beijing-olympics-heres-inconvenient-truth-about-sporting-events?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Dec 2022 17:00:09 +0000 A Greek court has acquitted three activists detained in October 2021 after unfurling banners at the Athens Acropolis opposing the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, their lawyer and activists said on Thursday. Those acquitted were 19-year-old Tibetan student Tsela Zoksang, 22-year-old Hong Kongese-American Joey Siu and a 35-year old Vietnamese-American activist. They had staged a brief protest at the Acropolis in the Greek capital, holding up a Tibetan flag and a banner reading “Free Hong Kong –... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3200028/greek-court-acquits-activists-over-2021-protest-against-beijing-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3200028/greek-court-acquits-activists-over-2021-protest-against-beijing-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Nov 2022 17:55:31 +0000 The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s Monday announcement that the World Anti-Doping Agency is seeking a four-year ban of Russian Olympic figure skater Kamila Valieva does not mean the months-long doping saga is going to end soon. “Unless WADA expedites the case, which it certainly could do, this could take awhile even though it’s a pretty straightforward case,” US Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart said. “Under normal CAS process, it easily could be the end of 2023. Since it seems that the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3199665/world-anti-doping-agency-seeks-4-year-ban-russian-olympic-skater-kamila-valieva?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3199665/world-anti-doping-agency-seeks-4-year-ban-russian-olympic-skater-kamila-valieva?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:15:13 +0000 The IOC approved its human rights strategy on Friday, completing a years-long process months after the Beijing Olympics brought scrutiny on how sports engage with a host nation’s record on discrimination and civil liberties. The 50-page Olympic document guided by United Nations principles was also published one week after the outgoing UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet released a report that said China’s detention of Uygurs and other ethnic groups may be a crime against humanity. Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3192062/after-beijing-2022-scrutiny-olympics-body-given-scope-tackle-host?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3192062/after-beijing-2022-scrutiny-olympics-body-given-scope-tackle-host?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Sep 2022 07:35:30 +0000 Singapore’s military on Tuesday said the country’s Olympic golden boy Joseph Schooling, currently serving mandatory military service, admitted to consuming cannabis earlier this year. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) said the 27-year-old’s abuse of “disruption privileges” granted to him while in active service meant he would “no longer be eligible for leave or disruption to train or compete” while still a conscript. The national daily The Straits Times said the latest development meant the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3190750/singapores-olympic-golden-boy-joseph-schooling-banned-competitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3190750/singapores-olympic-golden-boy-joseph-schooling-banned-competitions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Aug 2022 14:35:20 +0000 Hongkonger Sidney Chu has gone above and beyond the call of duty in his quest to raise the profile of speed skating in the city. In February he took part in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Chu, one of three athletes in the Hong Kong delegation, was its flag bearer at the opening ceremony. In competition he came 24th out of 32 in the men’s 500-metre short-track speed skating event. A few months after his Olympics debut, Chu – keen to tap his hometown’s new-found interest in the sport –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3188640/great-workout-body-and-mind-speed-skater-and-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3188640/great-workout-body-and-mind-speed-skater-and-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Aug 2022 10:15:17 +0000 Eileen Gu has taken home another title, this time being named the best breakthrough athlete at the 2022 ESPYs, and added to her status on both sides of the world with an acceptance speech that ended in Chinese. The Winter Olympian was honoured at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (US time) alongside some of the biggest names in sport, and took her grandmother with her to share the occasion. Eileen Gu was inspired by the women who came before her and hopes to do the same for the next... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3186013/2022-espys-eileen-gu-named-best-breakthrough-athlete-annual-espn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3186013/2022-espys-eileen-gu-named-best-breakthrough-athlete-annual-espn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jul 2022 01:50:47 +0000 Hong Kong speed skater Sidney Chu hopes to train with the US national team as part of his preparations to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Chu, who celebrates his 23rd birthday on Friday, represented Hong Kong at the Beijing Winter Games earlier this year, finishing 24th in the men’s short-track 500m event. While not fully committing to the Milano-Cortina Games in four years’ time, Chu said his aim was to take part, although he heads to the United States next month to start medical... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3185924/hong-kong-olympian-sidney-chu-hopes-train-us-national-team-part?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3185924/hong-kong-olympian-sidney-chu-hopes-train-us-national-team-part?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jul 2022 08:01:29 +0000