Abstract: Global skateboarding communities have historically demonstrated multifaceted resistance to the sport’s inclusion in the Olympic programme. However, Chinese skateboarders, in contrast, exhibit a decidedly positive attitude towards the IOC’s generous initiative compared to their Western counterparts. Grounded in the theoretical framework of Neo-Familism, this study employs video-based polyvocal ethnography to examine how the Chinese skateboarders’ understanding of Family and State influences their perception of their role and duty, and consequently, their practices within the subcultural community. The findings reveal two key dimensions: (1) Through the theoretical lenses of “descending familism” and the “intimate turn,” Chinese skateboarders interpret their subcultural participation with a measured and adaptive tone, which is shaped by familial discipline. Unlike their Western counterparts, grassroots skateboarders in China actively navigate family expectations while maintaining their involvement in skateboarding culture, which establish a dynamic balance between subcultural authenticity and filial obligations.(2) Informed by the concepts of “materialism” and “interest symbiosis,” the inclusion of skateboarding in the Olympic programme has provided Chinese practitioners with a powerful discourse that legitimises the sport within China’s sociocultural framework. By strategically employing this discourse to portray skateboarding as a means of personal development, Chinese skateboarders engage in an “improvisational negotiation of family life,” aligning subcultural commitments with broader familial and societal imperatives.This study offers a threefold contribution. It provides empirical explanations for the different attitudes of Eastern and Western skateboarder communities towards the fate of skateboarding in the Olympics. The second is that it also theoretically advances Neo-Familism with the discussion of the interplay between family and state. Thirdly, the study proposes three recommendations for the development of skateboarding in China, which are promote the noble virtues of familial-national sentiment, build new hubs for youth culture, and integrating skateboarding into education initiatives.

Key words: skateboarding, skaters, sport subculture, Olympic Games, Neo-Familism