Enes Kanter Freedom, a basketball player omitted from the NBA for his comments on China’s treatment of the Uighur people, recently criticized Olympic skier Irene Gu for allegedly taking advantage of the freedoms in America while favoring China, dubbing her a “traitor.”
Kanter stated, “She was born in America, raised in America, and lives in America, yet she chose to compete for China, a nation known for its severe human rights violations.” He shared this sentiment in a post on the social media platform X.
“She built her reputation in a free country, but then decided to represent an authoritarian regime that’s linked to mass detentions and forced labor,” he added.
“When human rights become a concern, she seems to go silent,” he commented. “This isn’t neutrality; it’s a deliberate choice.”
This week, there was also tension involving freestyle skier Hunter Hess, who mixed politics with the Olympics. He expressed discomfort wearing Team USA gear due to disagreements with U.S. immigration laws, prompting a response from President Trump, who dismissed Hess as a “real loser.”
“It’s unfortunate that the significant stories overshadowing the Olympics stray from the essence of the games. This completely contradicts what the Olympics stand for,” Gu remarked, which received praise from Chinese state media as a critique of Trump and U.S. immigration policies.
Kanter pointed out the irony of Gu’s new sponsorship with China while conveniently ignoring their strict immigration policies. “She chose to represent a country accountable for the deaths of millions and currently operates concentration camps rather than the country where she was born and had opportunities,” he commented regarding Gu.
“By acting as a global spokesperson for the Chinese Communist Party, she essentially forfeits the privileges of American citizenship. By promoting the CCP on a global platform, Irene Gu loses any moral claim to the United States and shouldn’t hold U.S. citizenship,” he concluded.
“She selected communism over freedom,” he highlighted.
Irene Gu, a two-time gold medalist, narrowly lost a recent competition to Mathilde Gremaud from Switzerland. Gu mentioned that injuries, prioritizing her studies over skiing, and “mental issues” affected her performance.
“Sometimes it feels like you’re carrying the weight of two countries on your shoulders, and managing that while still pursuing a deep love for the sport can be challenging,” she said.
As Kanter might note, that assertion isn’t entirely accurate. Although Gu has shifted her allegiance entirely to the People’s Republic of China and no longer plays for any other team, he could consider being cautious around discussing “two countries” in the hearing of authorities in Beijing, where the notion of “One China” prevails.
