According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), China’s Olympic diving champion Quan Hongchan was subjected to years of abuse within a WeChat group whose members included active and retired divers, international judges, and a sports journalist from state broadcaster CCTV. The group operated with written rules allowing attacks on Quan while prohibiting criticism of others. One individual has been detained. No penalties have been announced for others identified in the group.
A secret group chat, a written rule to target one athlete, and how it surfaced
According to the report, the group, named “Water Splash Conquerors Alliance,” had 282 members. A pinned message stated: “Attacks on other athletes are prohibited (Quan Hongchan excepted).” Beginning in 2022, members used the group to refer to Quan with derogatory nicknames including “Fat Pig Quan” and “Sow Quan.” Group rules encouraged participants to direct insults at her.
Screenshots of the chat began circulating in early April 2026. The content spread quickly online.
A Weibo commentator using the name Liu Xiaoying wrote that she had reviewed the chat records. She said the language was disturbing and noted that the activity dated back to 2022, when Quan was 15. She described one episode in which a diver from Macau joined the group, left after seeing the content, and was then mocked by others as “Quan Hongchan’s guardian.” In her account, refusing to take part in the attacks led to further targeting. “In that small circle,” she wrote, “excluding Quan Hongchan had become a habit.”
After the material gained wider attention, the group was disbanded. Individuals identified in the screenshots did not respond publicly.
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The group included figures from within the sport
Participants identified in the leaked material included Chen Yuxi and Chang Yani, both active members of China’s national diving team; Chen Yiwen, a retired Olympic diver; Yang Shuo, a journalist covering diving for CCTV; and Rao Lang, an international diving judge.
These individuals were connected through the professional diving system. The group remained active for several years.
Online commentary focused on the identities of those involved. One widely shared post described the situation as workplace bullying rather than fan behavior. Another said the people closest to Quan within the sport were among those involved.
Before the messages surfaced, Quan had spoken about the pressure
In an interview published on March 30 by the Chinese magazine Renwu (“People”), Quan discussed the strain she experienced during puberty, particularly around weight changes in a sport where appearance affects scoring.
“I couldn’t accept how fat I’d become,” she said. “I was afraid to step on the scale. I was afraid to face the camera.”
She also addressed those targeting her. “I hope the people attacking me will stop. Stop insulting me, stop insulting my family, stop insulting my friends, or they’ll all drift away from me.” She said she had considered retiring.
The interview was widely circulated. No response from sports authorities was reported at the time.
Authorities described the incident as fan-related behavior
On April 8, the Guangdong Province Ersha Sports Training Center said in a statement that it had reported the case to police and described the impact on Quan as serious psychological harm. The statement referred to the issue as “toxic fan culture.”
China’s General Administration of Sport, through its swimming and diving division, said it was working with provincial authorities to examine the situation.
The term “fan culture” in China often refers to organized online fandom activity. Some online responses challenged that description. One comment said the issue involved internal team conduct rather than fan behavior. Others questioned why those identified in the group were not addressed.
Police detained the group’s founder
On April 10, Guangzhou police said they had detained a 31-year-old man surnamed Xu, who had created the group and recruited both insiders and fans. Police said he had posted abusive content using multiple usernames. He received ten days of administrative detention and a fine.
A statement from the Ministry of Public Security’s cybersecurity division described him as having changed usernames to provoke conflict within the group.
The police announcement did not address other individuals named in the leaked material.
Online reactions noted the limited scope of the action. Some comments questioned why no measures were announced for other participants. Others pointed to the duration of the activity and the absence of earlier intervention.
Background and context within the system
Quan Hongchan grew up in a rural family in Guangdong Province and rose to prominence after winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics at age 14. She does not have known institutional backing within the sports system.
Those identified in the group include individuals working within state media, officiating bodies, and the national team structure.
Public discussion online has focused on the imbalance between the athlete and others involved. Some commenters described the situation as targeting a young athlete without support. Others raised questions about oversight within the system.
Official statements from the training center, national sports authorities, and police have not addressed the professional roles of those identified in the group. The man who created the group was punished. Those identified as participants have not faced penalties and remain in their positions.
