Table Tennis Association backs crackdown on toxic fan circles

The Chinese Table Tennis Association has declared its full support for recent law enforcement actions aimed at combating illegal "fan circle" activities that have disrupted the sports sector.

A "fan circle" is a highly organized group of fans dedicated to promoting and defending a celebrity or public figure, often through coordinated online activity. While many fan circles are supportive, some turn toxic, engaging in harassment, spreading rumors, and attacking rivals - behaviors that have prompted recent crackdowns by authorities.

In a statement released on Saturday, the CTTA strongly condemned unlawful behavior that has disrupted the normal training and competition of the Chinese table tennis team, causing significant harm to athletes, coaches, and management.

The statement comes in response to the Ministry of Public Security's recent revelations of four notable cases of illegal "fan circle" activities targeting sports figures.

One of the cases involved a 29-year-old woman, surnamed He, from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, who was accused of spreading defamatory statements about Chinese table tennis athletes and coaches on social media platforms. Beijing authorities have placed her under criminal detention since August 6, citing the harmful social impact of her actions.

Another case, investigated by Guangdong police, involved a 38-year-old woman, surnamed Wang, from Guangzhou, who repeatedly posted insulting and defamatory comments about table tennis players on social media. On August 13, she too was subjected to criminal enforcement measures.

In a separate investigation, authorities in Shandong and Hebei provinces targeted two men, surnamed Gai and Xu, both aged 23, for their roles in a network harassment case. Gai authored a viral online post that questioned the credibility of Paris Olympic gold medalist Chen Meng, which Xu then shared widely, causing significant public backlash. Both men have received administrative penalties.

Lastly, an 18-year-old woman, surnamed Yang, from Jiaozuo, Henan Province, was penalized for publicly insulting a gymnast on social media. Her actions also drew administrative punishment from local law enforcement.

In light of these incidents, cyber police departments have reinforced their efforts to monitor and address illegal activities linked to "fan circles" in the sports domain.

The national table tennis team, according to the CTTA, remains united and committed to excellence despite these challenges. The association reiterated its dedication to the healthy development of Chinese table tennis.