Eileen Gu, the Olympian from California who opted to represent China instead of the U.S., commented that addressing the plight of Uyghurs facing genocide in China is “not her job.”
In a recent profile by Time magazine, prior to the Milan-Cortina Olympics, the 22-year-old was questioned about this issue. Gu stated:
I’m not an expert on this. I haven’t really researched it. I don’t think that’s my role. I’m not trying to make any significant claims on social media.
Time, which noted that Gu studied international relations at Stanford, pressed her on whether she had taken the time to understand the situation of the Uyghurs. Gu responded with hesitation, indicating her uncertainty.
I’m somewhat skeptical about data in general. You can’t just read an article and assume it’s true. We need substantial evidence. Maybe you have to visit the place and talk to people who have experienced it firsthand.
And then I have to examine the images. You have to consider recordings. We need to think critically about how history shapes it. Lastly, we should read books that discuss the political implications. It’s an ongoing journey.
Previous reports have highlighted the existence of evidence showing the torture and killing of Uyghurs by the Chinese Communist Party in designated camps.
Not long ago, representatives from the Turkish community in East Turkestan held a gathering in front of the White House, marking five years since the U.S. acknowledged the ongoing genocide affecting Uyghurs and other Turkic ethnic groups.
Six months prior, the State Department published its annual Global Human Rights Report which scrutinized the Chinese Communist Party, outlining numerous alleged atrocities including genocide, forced labor, and a variety of abuses against dissenters.
This report specifically addressed the genocidal actions against Uyghurs and other non-Han ethnic groups in occupied East Turkestan.
Additionally, reports indicated that Gu received significant funding from the same government implicated in these serious human rights violations.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau had planned to allocate $6.6 million to Gu and figure skater Zhu Yi, although this information was later removed from the budget.
Recently, Gu also critiqued former President Trump’s remarks about U.S. skier Hunter Hess, who suggested it was challenging to wear Team USA gear amid current national issues. Hess remarked that he’s not a “biggest fan” of what’s happening in the U.S.
Gu expressed that Trump’s comments about Hess seemed out of sync with the spirit of the competition.
