Thursday, November 18, 2021
Big concern for tennis star
Where is Peng Shuai?
In early November, Peng Shuai published allegations of sexual assault by a top Chinese politician. Since then, the 35-year-old Chinese has disappeared. A dubious news increases concerns about the tennis star.
An alleged email from the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who is believed to have disappeared, aroused considerable doubts at the WTA player organization and increased concerns about the 35-year-old. China’s state foreign television station CGTN published an email on Twitter that night that the tennis star wrote himself and is said to have sent to WTA boss Steve Simon. The reports about her, “including allegations of sexual assault,” were “not true,” it said. She is fine.
“I find it hard to believe that Peng Shuai actually wrote this email that we received,” said WTA boss Simon. The WTA and the rest of the world needed “independent and verifiable evidence” that the player was safe. The publication by Chinese state media heightened his concerns about their safety and whereabouts. “Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source.” He himself tried repeatedly “in vain” to reach the tennis star in various ways.
“I just recovered”
Peng Shuai published allegations of sexual assault by a top Chinese politician on the Weibo network earlier this month. The entry, which was deleted shortly afterwards, stated that she had had an intermittent relationship with the married former Vice Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli, 75, for a period of ten years. The article speaks of love and affection, but also of unwanted sexual assault – without any evidence being presented. The authenticity of the posting could not be verified.
Since then, Peng Shuai has not been seen in public. China’s censorship is also canceling any debate on the case. Searches for your name or #MeToo on the Chinese Internet are blocked. In the letter that the state broadcaster has now published, however, it says: “I will not be missed.” She is also safe. “I’ve only recovered a little at home and everything is fine.” However, the screenshot of the message also aroused suspicion on the part of observers because the cursor was in the text.
China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said: “The Chinese government has a long history of indiscriminately detaining people in controversial cases, controlling their freedom of expression and making them make coercive statements.” CHRD’s William Nee pointed out the allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power: “These allegations should not be censored, but rather trigger an impartial and fair investigation.”