The International Olympic Committee comes under pressure in the case of Peng Shuai. A video link from Thomas Bach with the long-missing tennis player has been sharply criticized. The IOC chief mocked the “deadly serious situation”.
Dhe video link between IOC President Thomas Bach and the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who disappeared for a long time, has led to a heated controversy in world sport.
The athletes ‘association Global Athlete accused the International Olympic Committee of making itself “complicit in the malicious propaganda of the Chinese authorities and their lack of interest in basic human rights and justice,” the athletes’ union said on Monday.
In contrast, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe supported the IOC’s diplomacy with China in relation to Peng Shuai. “Warlike noises” about a possible diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games in Beijing in February 2022 would be “a pretty meaningless gesture,” said the Briton in an interview with the British broadcaster “BBC Today” on Monday. When asked whether Peng Shuai should be allowed to leave China, he replied, “I am in no position to make such judgments.”
Thomas Bach during the video switch with Peng Shuai
Source: AFP / GREG MARTIN
In early November, Peng Shuai published allegations of sexual assault by a top Chinese politician on the Weibo social network. After that, she was initially not seen in public. The IOC announced on Sunday that Bach had made a video call with the tennis player. She said she was safe.
IOC plans to meet Peng Shuai in January
A day later, the IOC reiterated the motivation for making contact. “The main purpose of the call was to inquire about the welfare and safety of Peng Shuai,” a statement said on Monday. “Protecting the well-being of athletes is of paramount importance to the IOC and the Olympic Movement. We agreed to keep in touch and she agreed to meet in Beijing in January. “
Global Athlete, meanwhile, emphasized that video switching in no way guarantees that Peng Shuai will be safe and well. The IOC’s statement does not mention that the 35-year-old had made allegations of sexual abuse and had disappeared for two weeks. With his invitation to dinner for Peng Shuai, Bach mocked the “deadly serious situation, which unfortunately is very familiar to many female athletes”.
The Sports Association renewed its call for China’s Olympic Committee to be suspended until Peng Shuai is allowed to leave China safely and their allegations are the subject of an investigation. With its stance on the matter, the IOC has once again proven that it “lets athletes down, stands on the side of violent authoritarian regimes and ignores human rights,” said Global Athlete.
The fate of Peng Shuai is provoking reactions around the world. It all started with a sexual abuse allegation
Source: AFP / STR
The affair about the world-class doubles player brings the IOC just under two and a half months before the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (February 4th to 20th) in dire straits. China is already under criticism for violating human rights.
US President Joe Biden has also intervened and expressed “deeply concerned” about the fate of Peng Shuai. His spokeswoman Jen Psaki called on China to “provide independent and verifiable evidence of their whereabouts and safety.” Biden had previously announced that he would be dealing with a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Games.
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