American-born Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu, who represents China in international competition and the 2026 Olympics, reportedly received millions of dollars in financial support from the Chinese government.
The Wall Street Journal reported that in 2025, a publicly released budget document indicated that “the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau was set to pay Gu” along with another U.S.-born athlete, figure skater Zhu Yi, “a combined $6.6 million.”
According to the outlet, the document initially listed both athletes by name but those references were later removed. The Journal noted that their names were “deleted from the budgets soon after they emerged.”
The report explained that the budget, released in early 2025, did not specify how the funds would be divided between Gu and Zhu Yi, also known as Beverly Zhu. However, the outlet suggested that Gu, a three-time Olympic medalist, likely received a larger portion of the funding.
The Journal further reported that across the past three years, the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau had allocated nearly 100 million yuan — approximately $14 million — to Gu and Zhu Yi combined. The most recent allocation was reportedly designated for “striving for excellent results in qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.”
The Chinese government funding comes despite Gu already being “one of the highest paid female athletes in the world,” according to the Journal. Breitbart News previously reported that Gu addressed criticism of her decision to compete for China during an interview with TIME. Gu, described as a “two-time gold medalist,” said that “the U.S. already has the representation.” She also stated that “the potential to earn more representing Chinese companies didn’t cross her mind.”