Japanese badminton star Chiharu Shida has expressed her discomfort with the obsessive attention she has been receiving from some Chinese fans, urging them to “stop stalking” her and revealing that the experience has left her “very scared.”
Shida, who won a women’s doubles bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, enjoys a large following in China, partly due to her engagement with the country’s culture. The 27-year-old, currently competing at the Asia Championships in Ningbo, is often called the “Badminton Goddess” by her fans and the media.
However, on Tuesday, she took to Instagram to criticize some fans for taking their admiration too far. “Every time we compete in China, we always experience the harm of stalkers,” Shida wrote in Chinese. “It has already gone on for a year and a half, and recently I have felt very uncomfortable and very scared.”
She further explained, “From now on, please immediately stop stalking me… but if the situation continues, I will think of a way to handle it.” Shida clarified that not all her fans were acting inappropriately and thanked the majority for their support.
Shida, who is currently ranked third in the world in women’s doubles with partner Nami Matsuyama, triumphed over compatriots Mizuki Otake and Miyu Takahashi in Ningbo on Wednesday.
This incident comes as China has made efforts in recent years to curb extreme fandom, with the government taking measures to prevent stalking and other harmful behaviors directed at celebrities and sports figures. Recently, China’s cyber watchdog shut down nearly 4,000 online accounts and removed 1.6 million posts from internet platforms to improve the online environment for athletes, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
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