Chinese paddler Fan Zhendong celebrates after winning the table tennis men's singles title in Paris on August 4, 2024. Photo: VCG

Chinese table tennis star Fan Zhendong publicly addressed long-standing issues surrounding fan culture and his move to Germany's Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) for the first time, releasing a post on social media with his interview with Phoenix TV.

"Some words have been buried in my heart for a long time. I only want to speak to those who truly love sports and respect competition. I've always treated passion as a belief and tried to protect my life. But those who cause harm in the name of 'love' — even now, I cannot let go. They don't belong in a place that should remain pure," reads the post. 

Born in January 1997, Fan is one of China's most decorated table tennis players. As former world No.?1, Fan completed the career Grand Slam in 2024 by winning Olympic singles gold in Paris, adding to his multiple World Championship and World Cup titles. With major victories across international and domestic competitions, Fan is also recognized as a "Super Grand Slam" winner, having claimed nearly every major title in the sport by the age of 27. 

Fan's remarks were accompanied by a video of his interview with Phoenix TV, in which he addressed long-simmering issues — from fan culture and mental health pressures to, for the first time, his controversial move to Germany's TTBL.

Following the Paris Olympics, Fan withdrew from several tournaments, but online scrutiny only intensified. "I didn't compete, but the attention never faded," he said. "Discussions shifted from wins and losses to why I wasn't playing. Every withdrawal sparked a new wave of speculation—it left me confused."

Fan recounted his most disturbing experience in 2023, when a stranger illegally accessed his hotel room using a forged keycard. "I never imagined, as an athlete, I would have to deal with something like this," he said. "Since then, I've developed an instinctive fear of crowded places. Even in hotels during matches, I worry about someone entering my room."

He described how he often stayed isolated during competitions, avoiding even the dining hall for fear of being secretly filmed or misinterpreted.

"Fan's words mark a rare moment of candor from one of China's most decorated athletes, shedding light on the often-overlooked emotional toll that elite sports can exact behind the scenes," Wang Dazhao, a sports commentator based in Beijing, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Wang noted that some of these so-called fans neither understand nor appreciate the professional skills or talents of athletes, but speculating on unfounded issues, especially those that interfere with players' private lives, constitutes a serious disturbance to players.

In recent efforts, China's cyberspace and sports authorities have intensified the crackdown on problematic fan culture in the sports community online. More than 1.6 million pieces of illegal or harmful content have been removed. Authorities will continue to strengthen governance of toxic fan behavior in the online sports sphere, urging platforms to fulfill their responsibilities and imposing strict penalties on violators. Platforms found to be ineffective in addressing problems will face tougher legal consequences, per CCTV.

Fan also spoke publicly for the first time about his move to the Bundesliga, a decision that surprised many in the sport. He revealed that he had shared the idea with then Chinese Table Tennis Association President Liu Guoliang shortly after the Paris Olympic Games and received full support. 

However, due to the timing, the move was postponed until this season. "After the Olympics, I told Liu I wanted to play in Europe, and he supported me. But it was already August, and registration had closed."

Addressing public criticism that accused him of "betraying the country's training," Fan urged people not to judge hastily. "These are conclusions drawn without full understanding. When it comes to Chinese table tennis, the most knowledgeable and experienced people are all around us. Of course, they know the best path for an athlete's development. This was never a spur-of-the-moment decision — it wasn't something I did on a whim."

When asked whether he would represent China again in future competitions, Fan said that these are matters that will need to be discussed and decided with the coaches and leadership in the future. At this stage, I don't have the strength or capacity to handle such pressure.

From the 2023 World Championships in Durban to the lead-up to Paris 2024, Fan admitted falling into a state of emotional exhaustion. "There were many abnormal losses," he recalled. "I might be leading 2-0 and suddenly lose control. A camera shutter could set me off. I'd feel like I didn't want to be there anymore — just wanted to escape to somewhere safe — but couldn't. It was a breakdown."

"Preparing for the Olympics brought enormous pressure. I wanted to contribute to my country and prove myself. But online abuse and organized fan behavior pushed me into a state of extreme internal depletion. Every tournament mattered for ranking points, so I had to keep going — even when I wasn't at my best. It's a period I don't want to revisit," Fan said.