Nike’s Olympics ad featuring athlete licking table tennis triggers controversy among Chinese netizens

A scene in sportswear brand Nike’s commercial video for this year’s Olympics features an Asian table tennis player licking her paddle. Photo from Nike’s YouTube channel

According to Nikkei Asia, though the nationality of the table tennis player has not been specified, many Chinese social media users have implied that the scene targeted China, as table tennis is the country’s national sport. They complained that the video, uploaded to Nike’s social media accounts on July 19 , was “smearing the image of the Chinese people.”

“What’s the purpose of making this action? It’s disrespectful, incomprehensible and unacceptable,” one netizen wrote.

The Global Times reported that by Tuesday, the hashtag “Nike promotional video licking table tennis paddle” had already garnered 81 million views on Weibo.

Others suggest that the inclusion of the scene might have been a deliberate attempt to provoke and stir controversy, and comments expressing how they no longer buy Nike products racked up thousands of likes.

One netizen commented: “Only people with dirty thoughts would think it’s a bad action. Licking the paddle obviously was to raise their fighting spirit and provoke the competitor.”

The South China Morning Post reported that in response to the video, a Weibo user expressed confusion and criticism, asking: “What does licking a table tennis paddle even mean? What was the person who made this commercial even thinking, that the paddle is clean and sweet, like a lollipop?”

A Nike logo seen on a building. Illustration photo by Unsplash

It is reported that Nike’s customer service in China stated that it “will reflect the concerns to supervisors.”

China will be represented by 405 athletes at the Paris Games starting on Friday.