China’s Fan Zhendong pleads for privacy after supporters mob him at hotel following win

Three-time Olympic table tennis champion Fan Zhendong has pleaded with fans to “understand and respect” his privacy after he was mobbed in a hotel lobby.

The world No 1 beat rival Lin Shidong 3-1 in a China Super League match in Changsha on Saturday. However, after the game, table tennis fans rushed to his hotel and surrounded him as he tried to get to his room.

China has been battling what it calls “obsessive fan culture”, where super fans mob and harass athletes for years, but there has been a noticeable spike in incidents since this summer’s Paris Olympics.

“Thank you, everyone, for your support, but please find a better way and occasion [to show your support]. Don’t disturb other’s minds,” Fan posted on Weibo with a video of the incident. “Once again, I implore fans to show understanding and respect.”

Fan made the post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A related hashtag has been viewed more than 10 million times, and Fan’s post has over 24,000 likes. Many of the comments also called for fans to respect boundaries.