Chen (centre), Sun (left), and bronze medalist Japan’s Hina Hayata stand for the Chinese national anthem during the medal ceremony of the women’s singles table tennis at the 2024 Summer Olympics, on Aug 3, 2024, in Paris, France. Heated comments on social media, echoed to a degree by a partisan crowd in Paris that favoured Sun during the finals, sparked a backlash in China. — AP
BEIJING: A Chinese woman has been detained for allegedly slandering others on social media in a crackdown on what Chinese authorities see as harmful negativity during the Olympics from super-zealous fans and online fan clubs.
Beijing police said in statement issued late Aug 6 that they had arrested the 29-year-old suspect after receiving tips from the public that some people had made defamatory posts about athletes and coaches after a closely watched women’s table tennis final on Aug 3.
