Olympic Skier Eileen Gu Claims She Was ‘Physically Assaulted’ on Stanford Campus Over Her Decision to Compete for China

YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Eileen Gu claims she was “physically attacked” over her decision to compete for China against the US

• Gu, 22, also said his Stanford University dorm room was burgled and he received death threats

• Freestyle skier won silver in the women’s big air final on Monday

American freestyle skier Eileen Gu He describes some difficult moments he has had to deal with since choosing to compete for China. Olympics In 2019.

22-year-old Gu said: Athletic Last week, he chose to play in China, where his mother was born, rather than the United States, where he was born and raised, prompting anger and even violence from some.

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The star athlete claimed that she was “physically attacked on the street” while on the Sanford University campus and had to call the police on the incident. He enrolled in the prestigious school in the fall of 2022.

“I received death threats,” he added. “My hometown was robbed. As a 22-year-old, I experienced some things that I truly think no one should have to endure.”

A spokesperson for Stanford University and the Stanford University Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

Gu was just 15 years old when she decided to compete for China, and she argued that she made the choice because she wanted young Chinese girls to have someone to look up to in the skiing world.

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“Growing up, there were a lot of idols in the US for me to look up to,” he told The Athletic. “But I think there are far fewer of those in China. I would have a much bigger impact in China than in the United States, and that’s ultimately why I made my decision.”

Gu, who won two silver medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, is a Bay Area native and said she has dreamed of attending Stanford since she was 6 years old.

Gu is active as a student, although he is taking the current school year off to prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics; She is studying international relations and joined a sorority.

According to reports, she will return to Stanford as a junior after the Olympics. Time.

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One 2019 Instagram postGu delved further into the decision to compete for China, saying it was an “incredibly difficult” choice.

“I am proud of my heritage and equally proud of my American upbringing,” he wrote. “The opportunity to inspire millions of young people in my mother’s hometown during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help promote the sport I love. Through skiing, I hope to unite people, promote mutual understanding, communicate and build friendships between nations. If I can inspire one young girl to break boundaries, my wishes will come true. 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 ❤️.”

Gu became the most successful female freeskier of all time and one of the highest-paid female athletes in the world. Achieved a turnover of more than 23 million dollarsaccordingly Forbes.

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic candidates people.com To check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics starting February 6 on NBC and Peacock.

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