Chinese Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang has become embroiled in controversy after appearing on the reality show “Viva La Romance,” with viewers criticizing what they call his self-centered behavior and chauvinism.

The eighth season of “Viva La Romance,” or “The Romantic Travels of Wives” in Chinese, premiered on domestic streaming platform Mango TV on April 9 and follows celebrity couples on their travels. Besides Sun Yang and his wife Zhang Doudou — a former rhythmic gymnast and the current Chinese National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team coach — the cast includes famous actors and singers.

Sun has trended online since the season’s airing, but a recent interview with prominent Chinese journalist Yi Lijing on May 18 has given the show even more online traction. As of Thursday, topics related to Sun continued trending on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo, with multiple hashtags entering hot-search rankings and generating tens of millions of views. Commentary videos and clips about him on video streaming platform Bilibili have also surpassed 1 million views.

China’s most decorated swimmer, Sun made history by winning China’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s swimming, at the 2012 London Olympic Games, and by becoming the first athlete to win gold medals in all 200-meter to 1,500-meter freestyle events across the Olympics, World Championships, and Asian Games during his career. However, his career was later overshadowed by controversy when the Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed a four-year suspension on Sun, beginning in 2020, for a dispute that occurred during an out-of-competition anti-doping sample collection. He has since returned to competition.

One of the most discussed moments in the show occurs when Zhang questions Sun’s insistence on wrapping their luggage in plastic before their flight. Zhang, who did not want to delay other cast members, says, “I don’t think it’s necessary,” to which Sun replies, “Can you stop disagreeing with everything I say? With every sentence I say, you find a hundred reasons to argue. It makes me look bad.” In a later interview, Sun said that he felt “speechless” because “(Zhang) was questioning my decision.”

During a separate excursion to Saint Petersburg State University, Sun, designated by the production team as group leader, leads the group off course, turning a 10-minute walk to a tram station into a nearly hour-long trek. Despite interventions from the production staff and fellow cast members, Sun maintains that his route was correct, ultimately insisting on taking a taxi to the station with Zhang rather than taking the subway to the university with the rest of the cast. 

Most online viewers criticized Sun, with some jokingly likening his behavior to that of a toddler’s, particularly his unwavering attachment to routines and order. Audiences point out that Sun’s “never give up” mentality apparently creates friction in his social life.

The discussion later broadened to Sun’s close relationship with his mother, who famously played a major role throughout his athletic career, leading some to label him a “mama’s boy.”

However, netizens noted that Sun also showed responsibility and discipline, planning itineraries late into the night, attempting to coordinate transportation despite limited English proficiency, and helping the group carry heavy luggage.

Others argued the criticism of Sun overlooked the unique realities of elite athletes, many of whom spend most of their youth within tightly structured training systems and have few opportunities for social integration.

In his interview with Yi, Sun responded to the criticism by saying: “Have you ever seen a so-called ‘mama’s boy’ become a man this successful in his career?”

On May 1, Sun’s PR team released a statement saying he had recently been subjected to large-scale online abuse and defamation, adding that fabricated rumors had been reported to police.

Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.

(Header image: Sun Yang (center) arrives at the China Fashion Week Opening Show in Beijing, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Andy Wong/VCG)