Japanese badminton player Chiharu Shida has asked her fans in China to stop stalking her and respect her privacy. The 27-year-old athlete, currently playing at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, said the behaviour has made her feel very uncomfortable and scared.
Shida, who is often called the “most beautiful player” in China and the “Badminton Goddess,” said the stalking has been going on for over a year and a half. She shared her message on Instagram, speaking directly to her fans in Chinese.
The player, who won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in women’s doubles with her partner Nami Matsuyama, asked fans to support her by watching her matches, not following her in private. The pair is currently ranked third in the world.
This is not the first time Shida has spoken out. In November 2023, she said she was stalked and inappropriately touched during a tournament in Shenzhen. Her earlier comments led the Chinese Olympic Committee to speak out against obsessive fan behaviour, calling it harmful to sports and public order.
Other athletes in China have faced similar problems. Olympic table tennis champion Fan Zhendong was once followed by a fan who entered his hotel room using a stolen key card. Crowds at airports and hotels have also mobbed him.
China’s internet regulators have started taking action against toxic fan culture. Last week, they reported that over 1.6 million harmful online posts had been removed and thousands of accounts shut down. These actions are part of an effort to protect athletes and promote healthy fan behaviour
Athletes around the world are also speaking up. British tennis star Emma Raducanu recently said she was left in tears during a match after seeing a stalker in the crowd. The man has since been banned from future tennis events.
With growing concern about athlete safety, many are now calling for more respect and better behavior from fans, both online and offline.
