Olympic Skier Eileen Gu Claims She Was ‘Physically Assaulted’ on Stanford Campus Over Her Decision to Compete for China

American freestyle skier Eileen Gu has spoken about some of the most difficult moments she says she has faced since deciding in 2019 to compete for China in the Olympics.

Gu, 22, told The Athletic that the decision to represent China—where her mother was born—instead of the United States, where Gu was born and raised, has prompted anger from some people, including threats and an alleged physical incident.

She said she was “physically assaulted on the street” while on campus at Stanford University and called police afterward. Gu enrolled at the university in fall 2022.

“I’ve had death threats,” she said. “I’ve had my dorm robbed. I’ve gone through some things as a 22-year-old that I really think no one should ever have to endure, ever.”

Stanford University and the Stanford University Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Gu was 15 when she announced she would compete for China. She has said she made the choice because she wanted young girls in China to have more role models in skiing.

“In the U.S. growing up, I had so many idols to look up to,” she told The Athletic. “But in China, I feel like there are a lot fewer of those. I’d have a much greater impact in China than in the U.S., and that’s ultimately why I made my decision.”

A Bay Area native, Gu has said she dreamed of attending Stanford since she was 6 years old. She took the current school year off to prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics, but has remained active as a student, majoring in international relations and joining a sorority. She is expected to return as a junior after the Olympics, according to Time.

In a 2019 Instagram post, Gu described her decision as “incredibly tough,” while emphasizing pride in both her heritage and her American upbringing.

“I am proud of my heritage, and equally proud of my American upbringings,” she wrote. “The opportunity to help inspire millions of young people where my mom was born, during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help to promote the sport I love. Through skiing, I hope to unite people, promote common understanding, create communication, and forge friendships between nations. If I can help to inspire one young girl to break a boundary, my wishes will have come true.”

Gu has become one of the most decorated women’s freestyle skiers and one of the highest-paid female athletes, earning more than $23 million in endorsements, according to Forbes.