In Response to Gu Ailing, a U.S. Congressman Has Proposed a 100% Tax on American Athletes Who Represent Countries Deemed Adversaries

Illustration of a U.S. Federal Courtroom (AI-Generated)

[People News] U.S. Congressman Andy Ogles recently introduced an 'Olympic Act' that seeks to impose punitive taxes of up to 100% on American athletes representing nations such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Following this proposal, Chinese-American skier Gu Ailing (Eileen Gu), who was born and raised in the United States and competes for China, released a statement on social media on Tuesday (March 3). She explained that her decision to represent the Chinese team was aimed at 'creating the greatest positive impact' on the world stage, and acknowledged that many people might 'not understand or believe' her choice.

As reported by Voice of America, the controversy surrounding Gu Ailing's decision to compete for China rather than the United States at the Winter Olympics has shadowed her since she made that announcement in 2019. During the Winter Olympics held in Milan-Cortina, Italy, the debate over her nationality qualifications even drew the attention of the U.S. Vice President, cabinet officials, and members of Congress.

On February 27, just under a week after the conclusion of the Milan Winter Olympics, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles from Tennessee introduced the 'OLYMPICS Act' (officially known as the 'Officially Limiting Yearly Money Procured by Individuals Concerning Sportsmanship Act'). This legislation stipulates that any American citizen representing China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea at the Olympics will face a 100% income tax on any earnings accrued during the relevant Olympic events. This includes prize money, sponsorship income, and any other compensation received while competing for these countries.

The introduction of this bill marks only the beginning of the legislative process. For it to become law in the United States, the bill must be passed in identical form by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and subsequently signed by the President.

In a press release, Ogles explicitly stated that the bill is aimed at Gu Ailing. 'Any American who collaborates with foreign hostile forces not only betrays our country but must also forfeit all benefits gained from such actions. That is why I want to ensure that the IRS confiscates every penny earned by athletes like Gu Ailing,' Ogles wrote.

Our people, sovereignty, and advantages in competitive sports should not be ridiculed. According to the Olympic Act, the IRS will impose a specific special tax on any athlete representing a 'concerned foreign country' in international competitions," wrote Ogles. "Being an American is a privilege, and anyone who publicly mocks this privilege on the international stage must face consequences."

On Tuesday, Gu Ailing shared on Instagram that her decision to compete for the Chinese team at the age of 15 stemmed from her strong feeling of the 'lack of female representation' in the skiing world, and that ' at that time, China's skiing industry was very small.' She believed that representing the Chinese team in skiing could create a greater 'positive impact.' She emphasised that through the cross-cultural power of sports, freestyle skiing could be introduced to hundreds of millions of people who had never encountered the sport, particularly in light of the influence of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Gu noted that many might not understand or believe that her decision at such a young age was driven by her desire to create the greatest positive impact on the world stage through her interests and passion. She added, 'After winning 3 gold medals and 6 medals, I can confidently say: the dreams of the past have now become a reality.'

The 22-year-old freestyle skier Gu Ailing, born in San Francisco, California, is currently a student at Stanford University and is recognised as the highest-earning Winter Olympic athlete globally.

As the Milan Winter Olympics kick off, Gu Ailing (Eileen Gu) and her decisions have been frequently compared to those of fellow Chinese-American figure skater Liu Meixian (Alysa Liu), who also grew up in the United States. Liu Meixian, now 20 years old, was born in Clovis, California. Her father, Liu Jun (Arthur Liu, originally named Liu Jun Guo), was involved in the Tiananmen Square democratic protests in 1989 and was subsequently wanted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He later fled to the United States, where he was granted political asylum. Reports indicate that CCP agents attempted to pressure and persuade Liu Meixian to compete for China, but both she and her father resolutely chose to represent the United States instead.
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