Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai appeared at a Beijing tennis tournament on Sunday, according to official event photos, after international pressure mount for information about her health. Peng can be seen in a navy sweatshirt and white tracksuit pants at the Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger Finals, according to photos published on China Open’s official Weibo account – a first. Her first public appearance since her sexual abuse allegations were widely censored on the Chinese Internet. The two-time Grand Slam doubles champion has not gone public since allegations earlier this month that former deputy prime minister Zhang Gaoli, now 70, forced her to have sex in a long-running relationship. several years long.
After a wave of outcry across the globe, including from tennis superstars and the United Nations, Chinese state media reporters released a series of videos with the aim of showing that all is well. with Peng.
A video from the event, posted on Twitter by Global Times editor Hu Xijin, shows Peng standing in the stadium amid a group of guests being named with a round of applause.
A Global Times reporter tweeted another video showing Peng signing autographs for children at what appeared to be the same stadium before taking pictures with them.
Hu also posted two other videos on Saturday, the first showing Peng entering a restaurant wearing a jacket, knit cap and mask.
A visible sign says Beijing Yibin Guesthouse, a popular restaurant a short distance from Tiananmen Square owned by the Sichuan local government.
In the second paragraph, Peng without a mask sits at a table chatting with everyone during a meal.
AFP was unable to verify the authenticity of the videos.
Hu tweeted in English that the second video shows “Peng Shuai having dinner with her coach and friends in a restaurant. The video content clearly shows them being filmed on Saturday Beijing time. .”
The conversation revolved around “tennis matches”. A man sat with Peng and two women said “tomorrow is November 20”.
But one of the women quickly corrected him, saying, “It’s the 21st,” implying that the video was shot on a Saturday.
The conversation seemed staged. It was filmed in the evening by cell phone. Peng appeared relaxed in the scene.
“Insufficient”
Peng’s statement against Zhang is the first time China’s #MeToo movement has reached the highest levels of the ruling Communist Party.
They were quickly removed from the Weibo-like Twitter platform, and concerns grew about her safety.
On the restaurant’s videos, Steve Simon, boss of the Women’s Tennis Association said he was happy to see the images but “it is still unclear if she is free and able to make her own decisions and act or not, without coercion or outside interference”.
“This video alone is not enough,” Simon said in a statement.
“I’ve been clear on what needs to happen and our relationship with China is at a crossroads.”
A WTA spokesman later told AFP that Sunday’s images from the tournament in Beijing still did not address their concerns.
It has threatened to terminate lucrative contracts with China unless news of Peng’s safety is received.
Chinese state media journalists have published what they say is proof that all is well.
First, the state-run CGTN last week tweeted a screenshot of what it said was an email from Peng to the WTA saying her accusations were untrue and that “everything all fine”.
But suspicions were flagged about confusing language and a pointer showing up in the screenshot.
Then, photos of the smiling Peng appeared Friday on the verified Twitter account @shen_shiwei, which the social network labeled as a Chinese state-run media.
The authenticity of the image could not be verified and the user did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.
Followed by videos posted on Saturday and Sunday.
The Chinese government has repeatedly declined to comment on the case.
Discussion of Peng’s allegations is blocked on China’s tightly controlled internet.
“Independent, verifiable evidence”
More and more voices in the world of sports and beyond want to know where and how Peng is.
The White House has expressed “deep concern” about Peng, with President Joe Biden’s press secretary saying his administration wants China to “provide independent, verifiable evidence” of his whereabouts. hers.
Britain’s foreign office also said it was “extremely concerned” and called on China to release verifiable evidence, while the French foreign minister said she should be allowed to speak freely to clarify the situation. mine.
The UN has firmly demanded a fully transparent investigation into Peng’s claims.
Some of the biggest names in tennis have spoken out about the incident, including Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka.
Superstar Roger Federer also weighed in on Saturday, saying on Sky News: “She’s one of our tennis champions, a former world number one. Obviously that’s worrying. I hope Hope she’s safe.”
Promote
Peng has represented China at the Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics and won a gold medal for China at the 2010 Asian Games.
She is a former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion.
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