NBC Criticized for Overlooking Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu

Fans slam network for favoring coverage of other skaters over Liu's historic gold medal win.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

American figure skater Alysa Liu won the gold medal in the singles figure skating final at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win singles gold since 2002. However, fans were quick to criticize NBC's coverage, which they felt overlooked Liu's accomplishment and inspiring story in favor of excessive coverage of other skaters like Amber Glenn and Eileen Gu.

Why it matters

Liu's gold medal win ended a 24-year drought for American women in singles figure skating at the Olympics, a significant achievement that many felt deserved more prominent coverage from NBC. The backlash highlights ongoing debates about media bias and the equitable representation of athletes, especially women, in Olympic coverage.

The details

Liu, age 20, put on a standout performance to win the gold medal, becoming the first American woman to do so since Sarah Hughes in 2002. However, NBC was criticized for devoting more airtime and attention to other skaters like Amber Glenn and Eileen Gu, who chose to compete for China despite being an American-born athlete.

  • On Thursday, Alysa Liu won the gold medal in the singles figure skating final at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
  • Liu's gold medal win ended a 24-year drought for American women in singles figure skating at the Olympics.

The players

Alysa Liu

A 20-year-old American figure skater who won the gold medal in the singles figure skating final at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win singles gold since 2002.

Amber Glenn

An American figure skater whose coverage by NBC during the Olympics was criticized as excessive compared to the attention given to gold medalist Alysa Liu.

Eileen Gu

A Chinese-American snowboarder who chose to compete for China at the Olympics, drawing criticism from some fans who felt NBC gave her favorable coverage over American athletes like Alysa Liu.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

NBC has not yet commented on the criticism of its Olympics coverage, but the network may face continued scrutiny and pressure to provide more equitable representation of American athletes like Alysa Liu in future Olympic broadcasts.

The takeaway

The backlash over NBC's coverage of Alysa Liu's historic gold medal win highlights ongoing debates about media bias and the need for more balanced and inclusive representation of diverse athletes, especially women, in Olympic broadcasts. This case underscores the importance of telling the full, inspiring stories of all athletes who compete on the world's biggest stage.