American tennis star Taylor Townsend has released an statement of regret after facing widespread criticism for comments she shared on digital platforms regarding traditional Asian cuisine.
The professional athlete, who is presently in the Chinese city of Shenzhen for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, had earlier posted videos on social media in which she reacted to dishes including bullfrogs, soft-shell turtles, and sea cucumber.
She referred to the food as “the craziest thing” she had encountered, adding, “I’m going to have to talk to HR… eating turtle and bullfrog is WILD.”
Her remarks quickly attracted strong responses on multiple international and local social media platforms.
Ms Townsend, who is the world’s top-ranked doubles player, later apologized, saying, “There’s no excuse, there’s no words and, for me, I aim to be better.”
“I realize that I am extremely fortunate as a sports figure to be able to travel all around the world and encounter cultural differences, which is among the reasons I appreciate so much about what I do,” she shared in a video posted to Instagram.
She added that she had “the most amazing experience” at the tournament.
Earlier, she had posted her thoughts to meals such as turtle stew and dry pot bullfrog, which are considered traditional specialties in Chinese culture, particularly in the southern regions.
In her original post, she asked, “Are these toxic? Are these the ones that be giving you warts and boils and stuff?”
She also shared another video in which she and fellow player Hailey Baptiste were seen joking about a sea cucumber served at a dining area.
Social media users were swift to respond. One user on a social platform stated, “Cannot support Taylor here, clearly offensive and shocks a lack of understanding regarding the fact there are different cultures other than the USA.”
Another commented, “It’s really offensive to mock other people’s traditional cuisine.”
On local social media, the hashtag “US athlete publicly insults Chinese food” started gaining traction.
One Weibo user stated, “While traveling overseas, appreciate the traditions and culture. You can choose not to eat it. There is no need to disparage our food.”
This situation comes less than a few weeks after Townsend was involved in a heated exchange with Latvian rival Jelena Ostapenko, who had previously directed comments about Townsend’s behavior on the court.
Ms Townsend and her teammates are set to compete against Kazakhstan in the quarter finals on the upcoming match day.
