Read more: Is China's lust for Olympic gold fading?

On Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, users posted more than 38 million messages on the subject by Thursday afternoon. Most recent posts appeared critical of Liu -- "feeling cheated" was among the most commonly cited reactions. On Netease, a major web portal, users seemed to be equally unforgiving. Many demanded an apology from Liu, while others called CCTV shameless for "co-starring with him in a world-class farce." One of the most reposted comments read: "A group of con men spend taxpayers' money and cheat on everyone's feelings so that they can make more money for themselves - what kind of world is this?" Our priority is to protect athletes, if we could have predicted he would be injured, no one would have let Liu run Feng Shuyong Like all other Chinese athletes, Liu is the product of a government-sponsored sports system that feeds, houses and trains athletes. Unlike most others, however, he has been a national hero for years and made millions of dollars in endorsements. The Shanghai native shot to international stardom when he won in the 110-meter hurdles race at the 2004 Summer Olympics. At 12.91 seconds, Liu's performance in Athens is the fastest Olympic record to date and his victory secured China its first gold medal in men's track and field. His income from endorsements surged after the Athens Games, jumping from a mere $250,000 in 2004 to more than $25 million in 2008, second only to basketball star Yao Ming, according to Forbes magazine.