In a heartwarming moment after a race at the Asian Games, Lin Yuwei and Wu Yanni shared a congratulatory hug. However, in China, photos of this embrace are being removed from social media platforms. Lin Yuwei had just won gold in the 100m hurdles and Wu Yanni embraced her to celebrate the victory. While the scene itself seems harmless, the issue lies in the numbers assigned to the athletes based on their lanes: 6 for Lin and 4 for Wu. This accidental combination of “64” holds a deeper meaning, referring to the Tiananmen Square massacre that took place on June 4, 1989. According to the BBC, “64” is a commonly recognized allusion to this tragic event.
Weibo posts that initially showcased the congratulatory photo were later replaced with a gray square. Radio Free Asia reports that by Tuesday night, the image had also been removed from several official news websites, including that of state broadcaster CCTV. Another controversy surrounding this particular race involves Wu Yanni, a prominent athlete in China. She received a red card for a false start at the beginning of the race, resulting in disqualification. After a protest, she was allowed to compete but finished in second place, only to be disqualified once again. The silver medal went to Jyothi Yarraji of India. The Guardian suggests that allowing Wu to run despite the false start raised concerns of race officials being reluctant to disqualify one of China’s star athletes, disregarding sporting rules. (Read more Tiananmen Square stories.)
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