In Depth: Elite Shooting Coach Jailed as ‘Gun Parts’ Case Shakes Sports System
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A Beijing court convicted Tian Hong and her son for importing thousands of gun parts, reigniting debate over what counts as a firearm component.
Tian Hong, a celebrated sharpshooter who shattered a national record and equaled a world record in 1987, transitioned from the podium to the coaching bench after retirement, eventually attaining the rank of national-level coach in 2020.
Yet in late 2025, the 58-year-old was standing before a Beijing court to hear a judge sentence her to 10 years in prison for the crime of smuggling gun components. Her son, 33-year-old Fu Yihan, received a six-year sentence in the same case.
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- Tian Hong, a renowned sharpshooter and national-level coach, was sentenced in late 2025 to 10 years in prison for smuggling 2,446 gun parts; her son received six years.
- Their case revealed issues with China's strict gun control laws, a state monopoly on sports equipment, and an ambiguous legal definition of "gun parts."
- The crackdown caused widespread disruption in China's shooting sports community, paralyzing equipment maintenance and triggering a nationwide audit.
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Who’s Who
- Guangzhou Pilin Sports Technology Co.Ltd.
- Guangzhou Pilin Sports Technology Co.Ltd., operated by Tian Hong and her son Fu Yihan between 2015 and 2023, was involved in smuggling high-end gun components from Europe into China. The company bypassed strict import regulations by falsifying declarations and using travelers to carry parts, supplying provincial sports teams with essential but hard-to-obtain equipment. This operation led to Tian and Fu's convictions for smuggling, highlighting issues within China's state-controlled sports equipment supply chain.
- Huaxing Rongyao (Beijing) Sports Goods Co.Ltd.
- Huaxing Rongyao (Beijing) Sports Goods Co.Ltd. is the sole authorized entity for purchasing sporting firearms and components in China. This state-owned company, a subsidiary of the Equipment Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, has created a procurement bottleneck. Coaches and industry insiders describe its system as slow, unresponsive, and expensive, leading many to seek alternative sources for equipment.
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What Happened When
- 1987：
- Tian Hong broke a national record and equaled a world record as a sharpshooter.
- 2013：
- Tian Hong met Lu Jing, which led to the start of her business procuring gun parts for provincial coaches.
- 2015-2023：
- Tian Hong and her son operated Guangzhou Pilin Sports Technology Co.Ltd., sourcing and smuggling gun components from Europe.
- 2020：
- Tian Hong attained the rank of national-level coach.
- December 2023：
- Officials from the anti-smuggling bureau of the Beijing customs office took Tian and her son away for investigation.
- February 2025：
- Beijing prosecutors' office filed an indictment against Tian Hong and her son.
- Late November 2025：
- Beijing court handed down the verdict sentencing Tian Hong to 10 years in prison and her son to six years.
- Late 2025：
- Tian Hong and her son stood before a Beijing court to hear the sentencing.
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