#METOOCHINA
Tennis-WTA calls on China to investigate Peng sexual assault allegationsSun., November 14, 2021
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - First Round
(Reuters) - The Women's Tennis Association on Sunday called on China to investigate allegations of sexual assault made by Peng Shuai against a former Chinese vice premier, while also demanding an end to censorship of the former top-ranked doubles player.
Peng, one of China's biggest sporting stars, alleged on her Weibo social media account on Nov. 2 that Zhang Gaoli, who used to be a member of the Politburo Standing Committee - China's top decision-making body - coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship.
Peng, 35, said in the post, which was deleted about half an hour after it was published, that she could provide no evidence to back her allegations.
China's internet is heavily censored and the private lives of top leaders are an especially sensitive subject. Zhang, now 75, was a vice premier between 2013 and 2018 and served on the Politburo Standing Committee between 2012 and 2017.
Concerns among the global tennis community have grown as Peng, the first Chinese player to top the world rankings when she was doubles number one in 2014, has not been seen since the post.
The U.S.-based WTA, which runs the women's tour, said in a statement that it would seek a, "full, fair and transparent investigation into sexual assault allegations" against the former Chinese leader.
"The recent events in China concerning a WTA player, Peng Shuai, are of deep concern," said WTA chairman and CEO Steve Simon.
"Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored.
"Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness."
China's State Council Information office and the Chinese Tennis Association did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the WTA's statement.
WTA chief Simon told the New York Times on Sunday that no one at the Tour has talked directly to Peng but that he had received assurances from the Chinese Tennis Association that she was safe "and not under any physical threat."
The International Tennis Federation and the ATP men's tour did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION
China has been the focus of the WTA's most aggressive expansion over the last decade and hosted nine tournaments in the 2019 season with a total $30.4 million prize money on offer.
The season-ending WTA Finals had a prize purse of $14 million in 2019 when it was played in Shenzhen for the first time.
The Finals were cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved this year to Guadalajara, Mexico but the WTA has said it will return to Shenzhen from 2022 until 2030.
On Monday morning in China, there was no disruption to the live streaming of matches from Guadalajara on iQiyi, which holds the broadcast rights in China for WTA tournaments.
"I think everybody fully understands what's at stake here on many different fronts as we're going through it," Simon told the New York Times.
"I think we're certainly, from players to board to council, fully united that the only acceptable approach is that of doing what is right."
French player Alize Cornet showed her support for Peng under the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai, while former world number one American Chris Evert also took to social media to voice her concerns.
Tennis great Martina Navratilova took to Twitter to support the WTA's call for a probe.
"A very strong stance by WTA - and the correct stance!" Navratilova wrote.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto, Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Christian Radnedge, Hugh Lawson and Richard Pullin)
China silent on tennis star Peng Shuai despite overseas concern
Updated / Monday, 15 Nov 2021
Updated / Monday, 15 Nov 2021
Peng Shuai reportedly wrote on social media that Zhang Gaoli "forced" her into sex
China has stayed silent over growing overseas concern for tennis star Peng Shuai, who has not been heard from since accusing a powerful politician of sexual abuse - the first time the #MeToo movement has reached the top echelons of the ruling Communist Party.
Yesterday, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) said in a statement that Ms Peng's claims should be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship," after American great Chris Evert had voiced fears for the former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion's safety.
But details of Ms Peng's reported accusations, made earlier this month, that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her remained scrubbed from China's internet, and searches for their names on key portals came back empty.
Searches for her account on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform also returned no results, though the account was still accessible via a direct web link.
The Women's Tennis Association said they were speaking out so justice can be done
China's national tennis association did not respond to requests for comment.
In its statement, the WTA's chairman Steve Simon said the events concerning Ms Peng were "of deep concern" to tennis's governing body and called for her claims to be "treated with the utmost seriousness".
"Our absolute and unwavering priority is the health and safety of our players. We are speaking out so justice can be done," the WTA said.
Ms Evert, the 18-time Grand Slam winner, became the highest profile current or former player in the sport to join social media expressions of concern that have given rise to the Twitter hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai.
She called the situation "very disturbing".
"I've known Peng since she was 14; we should all be concerned; this is serious; where is she? Is she safe? Any information would be appreciated," Ms Evert tweeted.
Earlier this month, Peng, 35, reportedly wrote on social media that Zhang - who is in his seventies - "forced" her into sex and said they had an on-off relationship lasting several years.
The post appeared to have been deleted quickly and AFP was unable to verify the authenticity of screenshots containing the allegation, or to substantiate the claims made in them.
China's online censors moved rapidly to erase evidence of the reported allegations, and Ms Peng has not been heard from since.
China has stayed silent over growing overseas concern for tennis star Peng Shuai, who has not been heard from since accusing a powerful politician of sexual abuse - the first time the #MeToo movement has reached the top echelons of the ruling Communist Party.
Yesterday, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) said in a statement that Ms Peng's claims should be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship," after American great Chris Evert had voiced fears for the former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion's safety.
But details of Ms Peng's reported accusations, made earlier this month, that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her remained scrubbed from China's internet, and searches for their names on key portals came back empty.
Searches for her account on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform also returned no results, though the account was still accessible via a direct web link.
The Women's Tennis Association said they were speaking out so justice can be done
China's national tennis association did not respond to requests for comment.
In its statement, the WTA's chairman Steve Simon said the events concerning Ms Peng were "of deep concern" to tennis's governing body and called for her claims to be "treated with the utmost seriousness".
"Our absolute and unwavering priority is the health and safety of our players. We are speaking out so justice can be done," the WTA said.
Ms Evert, the 18-time Grand Slam winner, became the highest profile current or former player in the sport to join social media expressions of concern that have given rise to the Twitter hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai.
She called the situation "very disturbing".
"I've known Peng since she was 14; we should all be concerned; this is serious; where is she? Is she safe? Any information would be appreciated," Ms Evert tweeted.
Earlier this month, Peng, 35, reportedly wrote on social media that Zhang - who is in his seventies - "forced" her into sex and said they had an on-off relationship lasting several years.
The post appeared to have been deleted quickly and AFP was unable to verify the authenticity of screenshots containing the allegation, or to substantiate the claims made in them.
China's online censors moved rapidly to erase evidence of the reported allegations, and Ms Peng has not been heard from since.
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