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Zhang Jike, a former Chinese table tennis player with multiple world titles, has been caught up in a scandal involving him and his ex-girlfriend Jing Tian.

The 35-year-old, who won the Olympic men's singles medal in 2016, was accused of handing over intimate photos and videos of Jing to a man called Mr S.

Jing, 34, is a well-known actress in China and has starred in multiple international films, such as Pacific Rim Uprising in 2018.

The duo had been in a relationship since March 2018 but broke up the next year.

Started as an internet rumour

The scandal was first brought to light on Chinese social media last Thursday (Mar. 30), circulating as a rumour.

The rumour alleged Zhang was heavily in debt due to gambling, and he used Jing's intimate videos to pay off his debts.

After the rumour spread like wildfire online, Zhang denied the allegations when The Beijing News managed to get hold of him on Apr. 1.

Zhang denied but investigative reporter called him out

However, things became out of control when a veteran reporter, Li Weiao, from People's Daily, decided to post on his Chinese social media Weibo page, claiming he could confirm the rumours were true.

According to Global Times, Li Weiao is an award-winning veteran investigative journalist who has been in the news industry for 20 years and has worked for several prominent Chinese news organizations.

Li claimed that he was contacted by S, who claimed to be the debtor that had received the videos.

S planned to blackmail Jing for the money, but he landed in jail when he was arrested on February 2020 after Jing reported him to the authorities.

Li said that he had seen court documents related to the criminal case.

Reporter posted loan contract online

After the post, Zhang's lawyers announced to deny the allegations further and threatened to take legal action against "certain people".

The reporter took the threat seriously and posted a loan contract on his Weibo page to validate his claims.

The contract stated that Zhang owed RMB5 million (S$963,000) and was allegedly affixed with Zhang's thumbprints and signature.

Zhang and his lawyers have declined to respond to queries.

The public didn't take their deafening silence lightly, and the rumours exploded into a full-blown scandal overnight.

Earned over S$11.5 million in a year

As one of the most notable players in table tennis history, Zhang has a significant fan base in China and has many product endorsement deals.

According to Yicai Media, Zhang earned RMB60 million (S$11.5 million) a year at the peak of his career in 2016, the second-highest income amongst sportspersons in China.

Businesses cut ties

However, after the scandal hit, many businesses cut off ties with him.

They include Chinese sports equipment multi-national corporation Anta, Japanese car maker Honda, and Chinese mattress manufacturer DeRucci.

On Apr. 3 night, China's Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission (CPLC) posted a commentary on their social media account to urge authorities to investigate the incident.

They said the flood of sensational information and attention-grabbing headlines had turned the civil matter into one of public interest. They reminded the authorities that they should intervene and stop" watching the drama unfold on the sidelines" like a public member.

Top image via Weibo