China has won 59 medals so far. Even though they have had a good run so far, their success has come at a cost. Riddled by controversies, the swimming team had to bear the brunt of doping allegations before the Games even commenced. However, with each step towards the podium, the doubts kept rising. And now, Chinese table tennis star Wang Chuqin has found himself in the eye of the storm.

The athlete catapulted into the spotlight after he claimed his first Olympic gold medal in the mixed doubles finals on July 30. But his elation soon turned into dismay when his paddle had been damaged. Things didn’t end here. He was accidentally shoved by a journalist during a post-match interview.

A Swedish reporter collided with the 24-year-old. While fans already seemed to be on edge due to the incident, it has now come to light that the person in question has been banned from the Games.

A video of the incident showcases how the media person was trying to make her way to the other side of the venue. However, instead of walking right past Chuqin, who was busy answering questions, she rammed right into him. While the athlete seemed to be taken aback, the reporter quickly scrambled past him without a second glance. The collision caused a huge uproar, with several voicing their frustrations for the 24-year-old Chinese.

However, this isn’t the only incident at the Olympics that has incited such a reaction. Many were looking forward to the 4x100m medley relay at the Paris La Défense Arena on August 3. Team USA was poised as the favorites due to their unbeaten reign in the event so far. But much to everyone’s surprise, Pan Zhanle’s magnificent swim in the freestyle leg clinched an Olympic gold medal for China. Team USA trailed behind, settling for a silver, while France finished with bronze.

As monumental as this was, the team found themselves at the center of doping allegations due to a previous incident. Seven months before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, 23 Chinese swimmers reportedly tested positive for a banned substance. However, they were still given the all-clear to contest at the event. Great Britain’s Adam Peaty hinted at how this could have been the case this time around, too. “One of my favourite quotes I’ve seen lately is that there’s no point winning if you’re not winning fair. I think you know that truth in your heart.” This cast a shadow of doubt on the 12 Olympic medals the team has claimed at the Paris Summer Games.

But coming back to Wang Chuqin, the athlete received support in light of the journalist accidentally ramming into him. What did fans say?

Wang Chuqin’s incident left social media users seething!

Fans were particularly miffed about the unfair treatment Wang Chuqin has faced at the Paris Olympics so far. However, after they heard of the journalist facing a ban, many supported the decision.

• “Finally ! Deserved. And let this be a lesson to all the others.”
• “Good news, the Swedish “journalist” who intentionally ran into Wang Chuqin is banned from the Paris Olympics. I hope it’s also for the Para Olympics, since her behavior is unacceptable.”

On one end, some social media users believed the journalist simply made a mistake and was clumsy. Considering it seemed like the media person was looking through her camera, she could have made an error in calculating the distance. But on the other end, there were fans who felt her actions were intentional.

• “This is obviously intentional.”
• “Justice is Served!”

Post the collision, the media person barely looked at Chuqin. She quickly walked away after the incident. It is not known if she apologized to Wang Chuqin.

“Banned from Olympics while Olympics are almost finished,” wrote a social media user, wondering if the punishment was good enough. Do you think a ban was the appropriate retribution for what happened? Let us know in the comments below.