Sports

What we know about tennis player Peng Shuai’s allegation and whereabouts


In the first day of this month, Tennis player Peng Shuai denounces Zhang Gaoli, a former senior Chinese government official, on charges of sexual assault. Peng wrote in a lengthy post on social media that Zhang forced her to have sex despite being rejected several times.

The post was deleted within 20 minutes from her verified account on Weibo, a leading Chinese social media platform, and Peng has not posted on social media or appeared in public since. from that.

Now, her safety and whereabouts have become a growing concern among her peers, fans, and those at WTA. Where is Peng, and what exactly happened? While many questions remain, here’s what we know – and don’t know – so far.

Peng is a 35-year-old Chinese tennis player and former world No. She won two mixed doubles titles – at Wimbledon 2013 and the French Open in 2014 – and reached the semi-finals at the 2014 US Open in singles. She won 25 titles on tour and last played at the Qatar Open in February 2020.

What exactly did her social media post say and why was it taken down?

In the 1,500-character post, Peng detailed her encounters with Zhang, now 75, starting a decade ago. Peng claimed in her post that she had an uneasy affair with the married Zhang, which began before he rose through the party and became deputy prime minister.

About three years ago, after Zhang retired from the role, he invited her over to his house to play tennis with him and his wife. She said he then sexually assaulted her while his wife stood guard at the door.

The Communist Party strictly forbids infidelity and leads to expulsion from the organization. Peng said he was concerned she might be able to document their meeting and therefore she had no evidence to support her allegations. Even so, she still wanted to make it public what happened to her.

“I know that for one of your outstanding, Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli, you said you were not afraid,” Peng wrote, according to The New York Times. “But whether it’s just me, like an egg hitting a rock, or a moth rushing into a fire, destroying itself, I’ll tell the truth about you.”

Weibo has a similar format to Twitter and is heavily censored by the government. In addition to the post being deleted, searches for her name and “tennis” were also blocked on the government-run internet.

What was the immediate reaction to Peng’s post?

As public charges against high-ranking Chinese government officials are unprecedented, and due to Peng’s celebrity background, screenshots of the post were saved and shared before it was published. deleted. It quickly went viral and Peng’s accusations were covered by media around the world.

How did the WTA react?

On Sunday, The organization has released a statement from Steve Simon, president and chief executive officer, demanding a “full, fair and transparent investigation” into Peng’s allegations.

“Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, uncensored,” Simon said. “Her accusations of a former Chinese leader’s conduct in relation to a sexual assault must be taken most seriously. Of all societies, the behavior she alleges has occurred. should be investigated, not tolerated or ignored.”

Why are there concerns about her whereabouts and health?

Peng has been inactive on social media since her post was deleted on November 2 and has not been seen in public or responded to communication efforts from the WTA. In an interview with The New York Times On Sunday, shortly after his statement was released, Simon said the China Tennis Association and other local sources had confirmed that Peng was safe. However, no one from the WTA, including officials and active players, has been able to reach Peng directly.

In an interview with Time, announced Wednesday morning, Simon said the organization tried every method to reach her.

“Voice, digital, tweet,” he said. “We.

Late on Wednesday, China Global Television Network, a government-affiliated media organization, posted a tweet with a message believed to be from Peng, but it only raised doubts about the whereabouts and safety of Peng. all of Peng.

In the message, which CGTN said was from Peng in response to an earlier statement by the WTA, the sexual assault allegation was called “untrue”. The message also said Peng was “resting at home and everything is fine”, and claimed the WTA had not verified any of his information. It ends with a hope for the future of Chinese tennis.

In addition to the content of the purported email, users on social media have pointed to the cursor showing on the word “and” at the beginning of the message – which is unlikely in an email that has been received.

Did Simon or the WTA respond to the message that was supposed to be from Peng?

Simon make another statement shortly after on Wednesday and made it clear that he didn’t text her messages.

“It is very hard for me to believe that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or to believe what is being attributed to her,” read the statement. “Peng Shuai has shown incredible courage in describing an allegation of sexual assault against a former top official in the Chinese government. The WTA and the rest of the world need independent and credible evidence. verifiable that she is safe.”

How has the tennis community reacted?

In addition to Simon and the WTA, several other active players and former players have expressed concern and support for Peng this week.

On Thursday, Serena Williams expressed her concerns to her more than 10 million Twitter followers with a post. Writing that she was “shocked and devastated,” Williams, the 23-time grand slam champion, called for an investigation and urged others not to be silent about the situation.

Four-time Grand Champion Naomi Osaka posted a note on Twitter on Tuesday, using the hash tag #WhereIsPengShuai. “Censorship is never okay at any cost, and I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and well,” she wrote in part.

Earlier this week, Chris Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam champion and ESPN analyst, called the accusations “very disturbing” and asked for information about Peng’s whereabouts.

Nicolas Mahut, former No. 1 duelist, points out that concerns extend beyond the WTA.

During the press conference at the ATP Finals, number 1 of the World Novak Djokovic Called it “shock” and expressed concern for Peng and her family.

Andrea Gaudenzi, president of ATP, made several statements this week as well as expressing support for the WTA’s call for an investigation, in addition to hoping for Peng’s safety.

What happens now?

These are probably the two biggest questions right now. In an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, Simon said the organization is ready to do whatever it takes to support its players – whatever is at stake.

And when it comes to the WTA and China, there’s a lot at stake. On a normal schedule, unchanged from the pandemic, the WTA hosts 11 domestic tournaments every year, including the year-end WTA Finals.

“If by the end of the day we don’t see the right results from this, we’ll be prepared to take that step and not do business in China if that’s the case,” Simon told the Times.

On Thursday, Stephen Kinnock, a member of British parliament and a shadow minister for Asia and the Pacific, called on the Chinese to prove Peng was “alive, healthy and free.” Kinnock said he has been in contact with the secretary of state about the incident.

It remains to be seen whether WTA’s financial threat, or growing pressure from around the world, will force an investigation or produce tangible evidence of Peng’s safety.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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