China ex-gymnast posted ‘sexy’ videos as she ‘had nowhere else to go’, now has new image
Former world champion Wu Liufang says she did them to clear family’s debt; she now shares cultural heritage videos to followers on Douyin
Former Chinese gymnast and world champion Wu Liufang has broken her silence after the controversy over her provocative dance videos more than a year ago, saying she turned to live streaming because she felt she had “nowhere else to go”.
The 31-year-old Wu rose to national prominence in 2024 after posting dance clips on Douyin – China’s version of TikTok – in which she wore short shorts, miniskirts and stockings.
The videos, which attracted tens of thousands of likes before being removed, included one where she danced while wearing a Team China Paris Olympics tracksuit that she had bought herself.
The clip sparked public outrage and drew sharp criticism from within the gymnastics community.
“Deciding to become an internet streamer was because I felt I had nowhere else to go,” Wu said in a recent interview. “Even now, I sometimes wonder: did I make the wrong choice back in 2019 [trying to make money on my own]?”
In November 2024, Olympic champion Guan Chenchen publicly slammed Wu, saying: “Sister, if you want to post thirst-trap videos, do it on your own – but do not stain gymnastics. Your ‘positive energy’ is not needed.”