Advertisement
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
SportChina

Tokyo Olympics: China volleyball star Zhu Ting takes social media trolls to court over exit rumours

  • Volleyball stand-out Zhu Ting shown support after being blamed by trolls for Tokyo 2020 disappointment
  • ‘Some netizens on the internet spread rumours about Zhu and deliberately smeared her,’ says case filed in Shanghai

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
4
Zhu Ting of China reacts during the women’s preliminary round pool B volleyball match against the Russian Olympic Committee team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Xinhua
Jonathan White
Zhu Ting, the star of China’s women’s volleyball team, has told online commenters that she will see them in court after they spread rumours about her in relation to the Rio 2016 gold medallists crashing out in the group stage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Advertisement

In a Weibo post on Wednesday the star spiker – who also carried the Chinese flag in the Olympic opening ceremony – published a police report and a certificate with the caption, “Notarised, fixed evidence. Reported to police. Requesting criminal accountability. Next stop, People’s Court.”

The case was filed with the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, according to the images.

Zhu’s photos show that it relates to rumours spread during the recent Tokyo Games with the star’s lawyer reporting to police that “between July 19 and August 2, some netizens on the internet spread rumours about Zhu and deliberately smeared her.”

Zhu Ting in action in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Zhu Ting in action in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Advertisement

Outgoing China coach Lang Ping, who resigned after the Tokyo Games, had said that Zhu was injured when she spoke after the opening defeat to Turkey.

Zhu, the team’s star player and MVP when they won gold in Rio, had long been a favourite of volleyball fans but the Tokyo 2020 favourites failing to living up to their billing saw some turn on them.
Advertisement