Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai She was safe and well on a video call with the head of the International Olympic Committee on Sunday, the organization said, amid international concern over her state of health following claims outbreak of sexual assault. When starting a 30-minute call with IOC President Thomas Bach“Peng Shuai thanks the IOC for taking care of her health,” the organization said in a statement. “She explained that she was safe and healthy, living at her home in Beijing, but wanted her privacy to be respected at this time,” it said.
“That’s why she loves spending time with friends and family right now. However, she will continue to be involved in tennis, the sport she loves so much.”
The previous Sunday, Peng was seen attending a tennis tournament in Beijing, in official photos of the event, marking her first public appearance since she made the allegation. against former deputy prime minister Zhang Gaoli, and they were removed from the Chinese Internet.
Earlier this month, the 35-year-old two-time Grand Slam champion alleged that Gaoli, now 70, forced her to have sex in a relationship that spanned several years.
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 Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger Finals event, posted on Twitter by Global Times editor Hu Xijin, shows Peng standing in the stadium amid a group of guests being named to 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 walking into the restaurant wearing a coat, knit cap and mask, and the second showing Peng without a mask sitting at a table chatting with a friend. everyone at the 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 seemed staged. Peng seems relaxed in the scene, which appears to have been shot with a cell phone, but her co-stars refuse to emphasize the date in their somewhat rigid comments.
‘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 Twitter-like Weibo platform, and concerns about her safety have grown since then.
The women’s tennis association has threatened to terminate lucrative contracts with China unless it receives news of Peng’s safety.
On the restaurant’s videos, WTA boss Steve Simon said he was happy to see the images but “it’s still unclear if she will be free and able to make decisions and act on her own. 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.
However, IOC Athletes Commission Chairwoman Emma Terho said she was relieved after Sunday’s video call in which she took part.
“I am relieved to see Peng Shuai doing well, which is our main concern,” Terho said in the IOC statement.
“She seemed comfortable. I’ve offered our support and kept in touch whenever it’s convenient for her, which she obviously appreciates.”
‘Independent, verifiable evidence’
More and more voices in the world of sports and beyond are demanding answers about Peng’s situation.
US President Joe Biden’s press secretary said his administration wants China to “provide independent, verifiable evidence” of her whereabouts.
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 United Nations 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, Roger Federer and Naomi Osaka.
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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