Communicating via gold medal: Chinese Olympic athletes’ visual self-presentation on the social media platform Douyin

Abstract

While many athletes utilize social media for personal image shaping and brand management, limited research has focused on the self-presentation of athletes in video-based social networks, specifically short videos. This study investigated the visual self-presentation of Chinese Olympic athletes on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok. The findings of this study indicate that these athletes tend to prioritize presenting their professional lives through front-stage performances rather than showcasing their personal lives through backstage performances. This diverges from previous studies that examined the self-presentation strategies of Western athletes on social media. Gender differences in self-presentation have also been observed among these athletes. The study reveals that their self-presentation in short videos is significantly influenced by a power dynamic centered on their performance, particularly their Olympic achievements. These outcomes potentially represent an unconventional demonstration of male sports hegemony on social media and underscore the notable impact of China’s national sports system, known as “Juguotizhi,” on the culture of sports-related social media. This study sheds light on a distinctive aspect of Chinese sports in the social media era, which has garnered limited scholarly scrutiny.