Ju Huanzong/Xinhua via Getty Images
- An interviewer with Chinese state media called a gold-medal Olympian "a manly woman."
- The reporter asked shot put champion Gong Lijiao: "Do you have any plans for a woman's life?"
- Thousands of people criticized the interview, the BBC reported.
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A Chinese state broadcaster has been criticized for an interview with an Olympic gold medalist that called her a "manly woman" and asked her if she has a boyfriend.
The BBC reported that state broadcaster CCTV spoke to Gong Lijiao after she won the women's shot-put final on Sunday.
The female journalist told the audience that the athlete "gave me the impression that she is a manly woman, until one breakthrough moment."
It then cut to an interview with Gong, where the reporter asked: "Do you have any plans for a woman's life?"
When Gong was confused by the question, the reporter said, according to the BBC: "Since you used to be a manly woman for shot put, do you feel you can be yourself from now on?"
Gong replied: "Um... maybe I'll look at my plans. If I don't train then perhaps I will lose weight, get married and have children. Yes, it's the path one must take in life."
The reporter then asked Gong if she has a boyfriend, what kind of man she wants, and if she would arm-wrestle a boyfriend, according to the BBC.
The BBC reported that thousands of people complained about the questioning.
One post on the Chinese social media network Weibo said: "It's not that she can't get married, it's that no man is her match... when we talk about women, it's not just about marriage or looks, but also dreams and achievements.
Gong herself replied to that post, the BBC reported, writing: "This totally expresses what I feel! Thank you!"