Overview

• After criticizing the Olympic bronze awarded to Zhang Yufei—implicated in a 2021 trimetazidine doping case—Köhler was targeted by Chinese bots with Nazi slurs and Hitler-salute imagery.
• The sustained harassment has triggered anxiety and paranoia, prompting Köhler to avoid shared bottles and dread encounters with the Chinese team.
• The Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund has deployed AI-driven comment filters to block abuse, but Köhler argues that athletes also need a dedicated DOSB liaison for immediate support.
• Köhler’s openness about her ADHD diagnosis has drawn widespread encouragement, with many commending her candor and citing her as an inspiration.
• She will enter the World Championships in Singapore with a new mindset and enhanced digital security measures shaped by her recent experiences.