10 ISSUE XI
MAY 2026
MAY 2026
Accidental Theorists: alysa liu and eileen gu
Whether they want to or not, Alysa Liu and Eileen Gu are connected, highlighting the limitations and contradictions of nationalist politics.
By Alyssa Kleine
International sporting competitions are about more than just medals and setting records. They serve as stages that highlight political tensions, national identity, and cultural narratives. The 2026 Winter Olympics was no exception. And this year, Chinese Americans Alysa Liu, a first-time figure skating gold medalist, and Eileen Gu, the most decorated freestyle skier, were at the center of the conversation about loyalty, identity, and geopolitics.
Images via Getty.
Their connection runs deeper than being world champions. Both Chinese-American athletes grew up in California’s Bay Area and shared similar experiences in the world of elite winter sports, spaces that historically lack diversity. As young Chinese-American women, they embodied a new generation of athletes redefining American representation in winter sports. Despite their shared roots, their paths took a sharp turn on the question of national representation.
In 2019, Gu decided to represent her mother’s home country, China, at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and again in 2026 in Milan after obtaining a passport and becoming a naturalized citizen. Her decision was shaped by her personal connection, fostered by trips to Beijing as a child. However, amid escalating tensions between the US and China, her decision was politicized. Her success in Milan sparked outrage from conservative politicians in the US online, including Rep. Andy Ogles (Republican of Tennessee), posting on X: “Eileen Gu is a US-born skier who is working for Communist China, a regime that wants to destroy our country. There must be consequences for those who betray the United States and support our adversaries.” This post and other criticisms altered the reception of her success, framing it in broader geopolitical narratives.
Chinese nationalist ideology, particularly prominent under Xi Jinping, emphasizes the idea that people of Chinese descent, no matter where they reside, are still not connected to China through national identity and loyalty. This rhetoric is the basis for efforts to recruit diaspora athletes. The New York Times reported that Gu and other Chinese athletes were paid substantial financial sums to compete internationally under the Chinese flag.
However, this nationalist ideology only extends so far. Alysa Liu has publicly aligned herself with views critical of the Chinese government and their human rights practices. As the daughter of Arthur Liu, a political refugee from China known for his participation in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Alysa’s life has been shaped by resistance to state authority. Liu herself has spoken out on social media against the treatment of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang. According to People magazine, Alysa Liu was approached by the Chinese government with an offer to compete for them, but turned it down due to their human rights practices. This has led to Liu being labeled a “second-generation anti-China figure” in some Chinese media. This sentiment directly contradicts efforts of Chinese ethnonationalism through the lens of national identity.
Whether they want to or not, Alysa Liu and Eileen Gu are connected: highlighting the limitations and contradictions of nationalist thinking. Gu’s successes are embraced by China as a triumph of cultural connection and identity, while Liu is ostracized despite her similar upbringing. And vice versa. In the United States, Liu is celebrated as an American hero, while Gu is called a traitor and criticized for her decisions. Ultimately, the experiences of Alysa Liu and Eileen Gu demonstrate how athletes can become battlegrounds for political issues well beyond sports. Their stories move beyond who won gold medals, but to conversations about how identities are shaped and claimed in a politically divided world.
alyssa kleine is completing an ms in International Affairs at The New School.