Alysa Liu Thinks The Criticism Of Eileen Gu Is “hypocritical”

The 2026 Olympic golden medalist is backmost connected nan ice, but she isn’t sticking to a script. In a caller question and reply pinch nan New York Times, fig skater Alysa Liu addressed nan aggravated governmental sound surrounding her and chap Bay Area jock Eileen Gu.

While nan nationalist often tries to framework these athletes arsenic either heroes aliases liabilities based connected which emblem they represent, Liu sees nan business differently. She views nan backlash against Gu—who chose to compete for China—as a contradiction of really immigrants are often treated successful nan U.S.

The “hypocrisy” of nan Eileen Gu discourse

For years, nan speech astir Eileen Gu has been polarized. Some spot her arsenic a world superstar; others spot her arsenic a governmental pawn. Liu, who has known Gu since they were 13, thinks nan critics are missing nan point.

“I deliberation group are hypocritical for shaming her for representing China,” Liu told nan New York Times. “So successful my caput it’s a spot hypocritical, because her mom is an immigrant. Y’all would person told her to spell backmost to China. Now that they’re backmost successful China, you’re mad.”

Liu laughed disconnected nan thought that nationalist borders should specify an athlete’s worth. “And it’s sport, it doesn’t matter what state we represent. Sport is sport, and she has a emotion for competition, she has emotion for nan game. I deliberation that’s each that matters. There’s nary shame successful going to wherever opportunity is.”

Read more: Alysa Liu Wins Olympic Figure Skating Gold to Cap Historic Comeback

Liu isn’t conscionable vocal astir politics; she’s besides captious of nan athletics that made her famous. After a little status astatine property 16, she returned to triumph golden successful Milan-Cortina, but she still thinks nan existent skating world is broken.

She argues nan title strategy is excessively agelong for astir group to watch and nan scoring is excessively confusing for moreover nan athletes to follow. According to Liu, nan full strategy needs to beryllium scrapped and rebuilt from scratch to enactment relevant.

“The title strategy and nan setup conscionable isn’t fresh for consumption, honestly, because nan competitions are excessively long, nary 1 tin beryllium done and watch each that,” Liu said. “And group don’t understand nan scoring. Sometimes I don’t either.”

The struggle pinch toxic training culture

Her return to nan athletics came pinch a caller position connected nan intelligence and beingness toll of elite skating. Liu said openly astir her past struggles pinch assemblage image and nan deficiency of a individual life during her early career. She spent years moving pinch a sports scientist to undo nan harm from a “crazy” training civilization that offered nary days off.

“I would not want immoderate kid to not person a time off,” she noted, adding that coaches request importantly amended training to protect young athletes.

For Liu, nan “glide” of nan crystal brought her back, but she’s nary longer consenting to fto nan athletics devour her full identity. She finds her imaginative outlet successful photography and hip-hop creation classes successful Oakland, viewing skating much arsenic an diversion situation than an creator one.

“Figure skating does not artistically fulfill me,” she admitted. While she loves nan “fight” and nan aggravated emotions of competition, she’s clear that nan athletics is simply a conveyance for her willpower—not her full world.