The whereabouts of former couple world number one Peng has been of international concern for nearly three weeks after she alleged that a former senior Chinese government official had sexually assaulted her.
chinese tennis star peng shui video call The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) does not address or subside with the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) worry about his well beingWTA said on Monday.
The whereabouts of former couple world number one Peng has been of international concern for nearly three weeks after she alleged that a former senior Chinese government official had sexually assaulted her.
She appeared at a dinner with friends on Saturday and a children’s tennis tournament in Beijing on Sunday, photos and videos published by Chinese state media journalists and shown by tournament organizers. But they have done little to address the concerns.
A WTA spokeswoman said in an e-mail: “While it is nice to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, they do not reduce or address the WTA’s concern about his well being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion.” Huh.”
When asked about the call with the IOC, the spokesperson said: “This video does not change our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation into her sexual assault allegations, without censorship, which is the issue that has led us to gave rise to initial anxiety.”
The IOC said in a statement that Peng had a 30-minute conversation with its president Thomas Bach on Sunday and thanked the Olympic organization for its concern.
“She explained that she is safe and sound at her home in Beijing, but wishes to respect her privacy at this time,” the IOC statement said.
“That is why she prefers to spend her time with friends and family right now. Nevertheless, she will continue to engage in tennis, the sport she loves dearly.”
Concerns about Peng have come as global rights groups and others have called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February over China’s human rights record. The WTA has also threatened to take the tournament out of China over this matter.
On 2 November, Peng posted on Chinese social media that former deputy prime minister Zhang Gaoli had forced her to have sex and that they had a consensual relationship later. The post was quickly taken down and the topic was barred from discussion on China’s heavily censored internet.
Neither Mr Zhang nor the Chinese government have commented on Peng’s allegations.
The French foreign minister on Sunday called on Chinese officials to allow Peng to speak publicly.
“I am expecting only one thing: she speaks,” Jean-Yves Le Drian told LCI television, adding that there could be unspecified diplomatic consequences if China does not clarify the situation. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the IOC’s statement.
The US and Britain have also asked China to provide proof of Peng’s whereabouts.
Current and former tennis players, including Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams and Billie Jean King, joined the call using the social media hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai to confirm that she is safe?
Men’s singles world No 1 Novak Djokovic said it would be strange to hold the tournament in China until the “terrible” situation is resolved.
,