Eileen Gu, Global Politics, and the Rhetoric of Athlete Branding

Freestyle skier Eileen Gu was among the most compelling athletes of the 2022 Winter Olympics. The native Californian’s decision to compete for China made her a subject of intense scrutiny, and her athleticism, intelligence, and conventional good looks made her a global superstar. Against competing claims over her identity, Gu declared her aspirations to inspire young girls and unify people through sport. In using some of the language of social-justice advocates, Gu may appear to be an extension of athletes’ recent focus on activism. However, her rhetorical choices rely on visibility and representation at the expense of anything overtly political. These choices are savvy in terms of branding yet empty in terms of politics. As a result, Gu provides one way to understand the postactivist moment in sport, a shift that happens in concert with the philosophical aims of the Olympic Movement.