China’s national women’s volleyball team was struggling in their first Asian Cup set versus Iran until halftime, when they removed the masks they were wearing to protect themselves against COVID-19 and turned things around. After losing the first set, they eventually won the match, three sets to one. Despite the win, the episode sparked a social media furor in China, where strict zero-tolerance pandemic restrictions mandate universal mask-wearing, mandatory quarantines and constant virus testing. The widespread outrage over the athletes competing in masks reflected a growing unease with the zealotry of the approach, as viewers blamed authorities for sacrificing the…