Chinese social media criticizes women volleyball players for wearing N95 masks during Iran tie

China’s women’s national volleyball team made headlines on Thursday when they were photographed wearing N95 masks during their match against Iran at the Asian Cup in the Philippines (August 25). The Chinese have slammed the move on their social media platforms, with many claiming that the players’ health is jeopardised as a result of the country’s zero-Covid strategy.

Following the online backlash, China’s Volleyball Association apologised and explained that the decision was made due to ‘lack of experience’. However, the Chinese have had harsh reactions following the women’s team’s match against Iran. The photos from the encounter quickly went viral online, with over 16 million views on the topic on Weibo, which is China’s largest social media platform.

Here are some of the reactions:
‘Our leaders are… going too far – it’s as simple as that,’ one user wrote. Another Weibo comment said: ‘Is it more important to prioritise health or performance? We must assume some responsibility for our athletes’. Meanwhile, another user pointed out, ‘How long will this so-called epidemic prevention farce continue? Do we want to be the punchline to all other countries’ jokes?’

The Chinese Volleyball Association issued a public apology in response to the outpouring of rage. According to a statement on Weibo, the team organisers were made aware of Covid-infected players in the other teams prior to the game. Furthermore, they were informed that the Chinese team had also reported some symptoms. The Chinese women’s team was asked to wear masks upon entering the venue as a precaution. The N95 masks were worn during the first half due to a lack of clarity on whether players were required to wear them on the court, according to the Association.

After the first set, most players removed their masks, allowing them to defeat Iran and advance to the quarter-finals. ‘ After realising that playing with a mask is not good for the health of the players, the team reminded us in time [so] that our players took off the masks and finished the next game,’ the organisers explained. In the match, China came from behind to defeat Iran in four sets, winning 24-26, 25-19, 25-10, and 25-13. China now leads Pool A with a 4-0 record and will face Australia in the quarter-finals on Saturday (August 27).