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The whereabouts of former doubles world number one Peng have
been a matter of international concern
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/
tennis-peng-shuai-appears-china-tennis-event-organiser-photos-show-2021-11-21
for nearly three weeks after she alleged that a former senior
Chinese government official 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 by the
tournament's organisers show. But they have done little to quell
concerns.
"It was good to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don't
alleviate or address the WTA's concern about her well-being and
ability to communicate without censorship or coercion," a WTA
spokeswoman said in an e-mail.
Asked about the call with the IOC, the spokeswoman said: "This
video does not change our call for a full, fair and transparent
investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual
assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial
concern."
The IOC said in a statement that Peng held a 30-minute call with
its president Thomas Bach on Sunday and thanked the Olympic
organization for its concern.
"She explained that she is safe and well, living at her home in
Beijing, but would like to have her privacy respected at this
time," the IOC's statement said.
"That is why she prefers to spend her time with friends and
family right now. Nevertheless, she will continue to be involved
in tennis, the sport she loves so much."
The concern over Peng comes 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 pull tournaments out of China over the matter.
On Nov. 2, Peng posted on Chinese social media that former
vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had coerced her into sex and they later
had an on-off consensual relationship. The post was quickly
deleted and the topic has been blocked from discussion on
China's heavily censored internet.
Neither Zhang nor the Chinese government have commented on
Peng's allegations.
France's foreign minister called on Sunday for Chinese
authorities to let Peng speak publicly.
"I'm expecting only one thing: that she speaks," Jean-Yves Le
Drian told LCI television, adding that there could be
unspecified diplomatic consequences if China did not clear up
the situation. His office did not immediately respond to a
request for comment on the IOC's statement.
The United States and Britain have also called for China to
provide proof of Peng's whereabouts.
Current and former tennis players, including Naomi Osaka
https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/
1460723353174433793, Serena Williams
https://twitter.com/serenawilliams/status/
1461408866697105413 and Billie Jean King
https://twitter.com/BillieJeanKing/status/
1459985672715046913, joined the calls seeking to confirm she was
safe, using the social media hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai?
Men's singles world No.1 Novak Djokovic said it would be strange
to hold tournaments in China unless the "horrific" situation was
resolved. (Reporting by Brenda Goh; editing by Richard Pullin)
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