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Eileen Gu and Alysa Liu have turned the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics into a debate about identity and loyalty for Chinese Americans. Both athletes grew up in California with Chinese roots and single parents. Gu competes for China. Liu competes for the United States. In China, many fans celebrate Gu as a symbol of China’s rise and its pull on global talent. Others question Gu's citizenship. Liu draws praise in China as a “free spirit.” In the U.S., some politicians attack Gu’s choice. One U.S. lawmaker even proposes punishing athletes who represent China.

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Stef Reid, a former Paralympic athlete who now does figure skating, competes in the British Adult Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, England, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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Stef Reid, a former Paralympic athlete who now does figure skating, competes in the British Adult Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, England, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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Stef Reid, a former Paralympic athlete who now does figure skating, competes in the British Adult Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, England, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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Stef Reid, a former Paralympic athlete who now does figure skating, warmes up before competing in the British Adult Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, England, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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Stef Reid, a former Paralympic athlete who now does figure skating, wears a specialized, custom-engineered prosthetic blade after competing in the British Adult Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, England, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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Alysa Liu of the United States, center, reacts with other athletes after performing in the figure skating exhibition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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Alysa Liu of the United States reacts after performing in the figure skating exhibition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)