Qin Haiyang is awarded his Asian Games gold medal in the 50m breaststroke in Hangzhou last year. - Photo: AP
BEIJING (SCMP): Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang has denied accusations of infidelity on social media platform Weibo, purportedly made by his fiancée.
The Olympic champion’s management released a statement denying the claims and describing the allegations as malicious slander that severely damaged the reputation of the 25-year-old.
The statement said the accusations, posted on Monday by an account claimed to belong to Qin’s fiancée, were entirely false and had been deliberately aimed at harming the athlete’s image.
“[We are] currently at the stage of gathering evidence and we shall report to the public security bureau if necessary,” it said.
Qin was a member of the China 4x100m medley relay team who this year claimed Olympic gold in Paris – the first time since the event’s inclusion in 1960 that the United States had competed and not won.
Following the allegations, Qin immediately shut down his Weibo account, preventing anyone following him or writing anything on his page.
Qin has won accolades at national, regional and global levels. He dominated last year’s World Aquatics Championships in Japan, becoming the first to win all three of the 50, 100 and 200 metres breaststroke events at a single edition. Another gold followed in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.
He has also won nine medals from two Asian Games, pocketing six golds, one silver and two bronzes.
According to the reports, the post was uploaded on Monday.
(From left) Pan Zhanle, Sun Jiajun, Qin Haiyang and Xu Jiayu took 4x100m medley relay gold in Paris. - Photo: AFP
"I wanted to preserve some dignity for you, but your evasive attitude has made me realize that I truly loved the wrong person," the post read, as cited by Dimsum Daily.
The post went on to accuse Qin of engaging in affairs with fans and a synchronized swimming athlete while his fiancée was pregnant. It also claimed that Qin’s family did not discourage his behavior but instead urged his fiancée to be more understanding. After she suggested ending the relationship, Qin allegedly used intimate videos as leverage to force her forgiveness.
Further accusations included claims that Qin’s fiancée had purchased all his luxury items and even paid for gifts given to his fans.
"What have you actually done? What do you care about?" the post asked. "You only seem interested in checking if your fans are attractive."
Qin specializes in the breaststroke and individual medley. He holds the world record in the 200 meters breaststroke, which he set at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships. At the same event, Qin made history as the first swimmer to win all three breaststroke titles in a single championship.
