Symbolic Migration: Howard Wing and the Media Politics of National Belonging, 1936 and 1948

This study examines Howard Wing, a cyclist born in the Netherlands who never visited China yet represented China at the 1936 Berlin and 1948 London Olympics. It compares how Chinese and Dutch media described his national identity and his eligibility to represent a country at those two points in time. The study introduces the concept of “symbolic migration,” defined as embedding an individual into a national narrative within an event window through media naming, justificatory narration, and acceptance in authoritative records despite the absence of physical movement. By theorizing eligibility reallocation under bodily immobility, the study extends the boundaries of sport migration research. Findings show a shift from legal and lineage labels, civic localization, and performance appraisal toward more emotive and ceremonial storytelling. This case provides a mechanism-oriented framework for understanding nationality changes and disputes over athlete identity in the platform era.