Beijing Pops: Olympic Table Tennis Star Zhang Jike Caught in Gambling Debt Scandal
Renowned Chinese table tennis player and Olympic gold medalist Zhang Jike is in hot water after being accused of accumulating a significant gambling debt and resorting to using private photos of his celebrity ex-girlfriend Jing Tian as leverage to repay it.
An online post revealed that Zhang had sent the photos and video clips to the individual he owed the debt to. Subsequently, the individual attempted to blackmail the well-known Chinese actress. This scandal has caused Zhang's previously well-established image to crumble overnight. By Apr 5, Weibo topics related to the incident topped the list of most searched topics nationwide 46 times, with over 7 million Weibo users participating in the discussion.
On Mar 30, a blogger's post containing keywords such as "Zhang Jike", "photo", and "debt" sparked speculation among netizens about the table tennis player.
Within two hours, Zhang's studio issued a statement denying the accusations and announcing the athlete's intention to seek legal help.
Despite this, netizens remained skeptical, given the history of famous individuals being embroiled in scandals. Later that night, writer Li Weiao confirmed that Zhang had indeed shared private videos of Jing Tian, revealing the identity of the person affected by the scandal.
Li Weiao released a follow-up post that delved deeper into the scandal, further complicating matters for Zhang, given the writer's significant influence in the media industry.
On Apr 1, when the press attempted to contact Zhang to clarify the issue and inquire about the allegations of sharing private videos to settle his debts, he refuted the claims. However, when pressed about the debt issue, Zhang abruptly ended the call without providing any response.
On Apr 2, Zhang attempted to deny the scandal for the second time. However, the situation took another turn when a Weibo reporter, under the name of 记者郝成 jìzhě hǎo chéng, shared a photo of an IOU note, presumably written by Zhang.
The note showed a sum of 5 million, which matched the information previously disclosed by Li Weiao. Meanwhile, Li Weiao released another detailed article, exposing Zhang’s loan contract. With more bloggers speaking out, the conversation has shifted, and netizens and the media are now scouring Zhang’s past for more clues.
Bloggers have uncovered that Jing Tian had previously shared on a show that she went through a prolonged phase of depression in 2019, which coincides with the time when Zhang and Jing declared their separation.
Additionally, the rumors surrounding Zhang's gambling debts do not appear to be unfounded, as he has been linked to gambling scandals in the past. As far back as 2004 and 2015, media outlets reported on Zhang's gambling behavior during his matches.
Zhang, who has been trending on Weibo for several days, has chosen to stay mum after the earlier revelations. One source claimed on Apr 3 that Zhang's aversion to the limelight was one reason for his reluctance to respond.
The media has since scrutinized how the scandal has affected Zhang's commercial value. Despite being the youngest table tennis player to achieve a grand slam at 24, Zhang has not participated in table tennis matches in many years. However, he has appeared on various TV shows, bagged several brand endorsements, and once earned an annual income of up to RMB 60 million.
The Zhang Jike scandal has caused a stir in the media and the repercussions are being felt across the industry. Major brands, including Anta and FAW Toyota, have quickly cut ties with Zhang following the recent revelations. Netizens have also noticed that all of the content related to Zhang has been removed from these brands' official accounts.
Meanwhile, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission (CPLC) has called for a swift investigation into the matter, emphasizing that no one is above the law and that disinformation and slander will not be tolerated. The CPLC has urged the department concerned to release the results of the investigation soon.
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Images: Weibo
