Eileen Gu at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Photo by AP |
In a recent article in Minnesota newspaper MinnPostDr. Li argued that Gu’s decision must be viewed through the lens of sports economics.
She emphasized that criticizing or punishing the Gu is the wrong approach because it completely ignores the core issue: the American Olympic sports market does not adequately compensate many of its athletes.
Gu, who has participated in two Winter Olympics and secured six medals, became the most decorated freestyle skier in history. However, the achievement has placed her at the center of debate in the U.S., where several politicians argue her choice to represent China is a lack of loyalty.
Last month, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles proposed a bill titled the OLYMPICS Act. Under this proposal, U.S. citizens or green card holders who compete for nations like China, Russia, Iran or North Korea could face a 100% tax on all income derived from Olympic-related activities.
In the press release announcing the legislation, Ogles specifically named Gu. However, according to Dr. Li, Ogles is mistaken in targeting the 22-year-old athlete.
“This is not a story about citizenship or loyalty. It is a story about market failure,” said Li, a Chinese-American economist holding a PhD from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She currently serves as an economics lecturer and assistant director of the international program at Bemidji State University in Minnesota, specializing in labor and education economics.
According to Li, winter Olympic sports like freestyle skiing, biathlon, curling and bobsledding simply lack the robust commercial ecosystems found in professional leagues of mainstream sports. In sports like basketball or hockey, athletes are highly paid thanks to massive revenues generated from television rights, advertising, and ticket sales. Leagues like the NBA and NHL have established markets for converting athletic achievements into revenue.
The vast majority of Olympic athletes invest years of training at high expense but receive limited income.
In the U.S., an Olympic gold medalist receives a modest bonus of just $37,500 from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, while the total cost of high-level training throughout an athlete’s career can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Li said her own daughter pursues competitive figure skating in Minnesota. While initial costs were only a few hundred dollars annually, as her skill level increased, expenses quickly exceeded $5,000 per year, excluding long-term competition and coaching fees. If pursued until age 18, she estimates the total cost for the sport could reach $150,000.
“The probability of recovering that investment? Effectively zero. We do it because she loves the sport,” Li added.
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Eileen Gu after competing in the halfpipe final at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Photo by Reuters |
She argues that Gu’s choice is highly logical. If she had competed for Team USA at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games, Gu’s total Olympic prize money would only amount to roughly $80,000.
In contrast, The Wall Street Journal reported that the 22-year-old star received about $6 million in 2025 alone from lucrative sports support and partnership programs in China.
This sum is essentially seen as an exclusive contract, a payment guaranteeing that a world-class athlete competes for a specific nation.
Gu, born in San Francisco to a Chinese mother, started skiing at a very young age. After deciding to represent China, she became the center of many political debates and faced a wave of criticism on social media.
In an interview with Chinese journalist Yang Lan, Gu admitted that the recent Olympic preparation period was the darkest and most difficult time of her career. She said that she cried every single day behind closed doors, noting that people did not know the hardship she endured and that even her mother could not understand her struggles.
Gu explained that in recent years, she has constantly battled injuries, online attacks and political pressure regarding her decision to represent China. She noted that many people do not actually hate her as a person, but are rather reacting to the heavy political implications they themselves attach to her choice.
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