What Olympic Coverage Reveals About Who Belongs in America

The coverage of the Winter Olympics in the media frequently highlights the athletic abilities of athletes, and a new study conducted at the University of Michigan reveals that it simultaneously conveys an unreported underlying theme about who has the legitimate right to belong in America.

The extreme difference in the way United States media reported on Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu’s first Winter Olympics illustrates this point clearly. Their backgrounds were nearly identical.

They were both raised by immigrant parents in the United States, excelled in elite-level winter sports, and participated in the Olympics as young athletes.

The Department of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan led the research project. Published in the journal Communication and Sport, the research focused on how sport coverage is influenced by dominant ideologies surrounding loyalty and belonging.

Both Kim and Gu were born and raised in the United States and qualified for the Olympic Games as teenagers. However, their decision to skate for different countries impacted the differences in the type of media coverage they received. Kim’s parents are from Korea, while Gu’s mother is from China and her father is a white American, another factor that may have influenced their media coverage.

To understand how this played out, the researchers collected more than 200 articles from the English-speaking press published just prior to each Olympic Games. The researchers analyzed how journalists identified both athletes’ identities and how they portrayed the decisions each athlete made.

The data clearly illustrate a trend. Kim was generally identified as an insider.

Numerous articles framed Kim as a “typical American teenager” and a representative of the American Dream. When she chose to skate with the U.S. team instead of South Korea, she was lauded by the media for her loyalty and gratitude to the United States. This narrative and Kim’s accomplishments aligned closely with dominant media values.

Gu’s narrative was very different. By skating for China, Gu was depicted as an outsider and a possible threat to the United States. Many articles speculated about her reasons for competing for China and accused her of prioritizing money over country. Some headlines urged Gu to “choose a side.” The phrase was repeated often enough that it became a recurring media theme.

According to Park, this contrast illustrates that belonging is conditional. The media portrayed Kim as a representation of the American Dream because she represented the United States, while Gu was viewed as a threat because she chose to skate for China.

In both cases, acceptance was predicated on demonstrating commitment to the United States. The media failed to recognize that both skaters had personal and legal reasons for their decisions.

Through analysis of media portrayals of Kim and Gu, researchers identified a recurring theme in coverage of female Asian American athletes. Within the press, both women were framed as “model minorities.” While emphasizing athletic ability, reporters also highlighted educational backgrounds, academic achievements, and the role of immigrant parents and family support in shaping success.

Although both athletes were celebrated for their talent, there were limits to the positive tone of the coverage. Success was portrayed as a result of hard work, discipline, and responsibility, rather than as evidence of an inherent right to be accepted as equal members of society. Athletic achievement alone was not enough to be considered “American.” The individual had to meet behavioral expectations tied to national identity.

In addition to this political framing, the media also examined geopolitics and its influence on athletic careers. In Gu’s case, coverage emphasized ongoing tensions between the United States and China and placed her within broader national debates beyond sport. Kim was not politicized in the same way, despite her own global connections.

The acceptance of Kim as a qualified athlete proved to be fragile. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed her vulnerability to discrimination and hate crimes linked to race and appearance.

This was noted in an interview with Park, who stated, “Kim, despite being an American citizen, faced discrimination because of her Asian identity. This is disappointing given that we see this repeated throughout the history of Asian Americans.”

Praise, once granted, can disappear quickly. While success may temporarily create space for inclusion, that opportunity can vanish when an athlete becomes a target of discrimination.

Research shows that coverage of Asian Americans in sports media exceeds that of competitors from other racial groups, who are often framed through a black-and-white lens. Park argues that the racial framework used in sports media must expand to include Asians, Asian Americans, and other minoritized groups.

Ultimately, Park states that this shift could help create a more diverse, inclusive, and accessible world for all.

Research findings are available online in the journal Communication & Sport.

The original story "What Olympic Coverage Reveals About Who Belongs in America" is published in The Brighter Side of News.

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