Hong Kong (CNN) — Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai denied making sexual assault allegations against a retired Communist Party leader, after more than a month of growing concern for her safety and whereabouts that prompted the Women’s Tennis Association to withdraw from China.
“I have never spoken or written about anyone who has sexually assaulted me,” Peng told Singapore-based Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on Sunday, in his first remarks to international media since the explosive allegations came to light.
When asked if she has been able to move freely or if she was concerned for her safety, Peng Shuai said she “has always been free” and has been living at her home in Beijing.
Peng Shuai
The interview took place on the sidelines of the International Ski Federation cross-country skiing competition in Shanghai on Sunday, where Peng was also photographed with Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming and two former Olympians: sailor Xu Lijia and tennis player. table Wang Liqin.
However, skepticism persists about the freedom with which Peng has been allowed to communicate. An investigation into the allegations is also called for.
Peng said there was a misunderstanding about the since deleted social media post on his verified account on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media platform, detailing the allegations on Nov.2.
“First of all, it is my personal privacy.
According to screenshots from that post, the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion accused former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of pressuring her to have sex at his home three years ago.
The immediate response by the Chinese authorities was to censor any mention of the allegation online and to block Peng’s Weibo account from search results. Peng disappeared from public view for more than two weeks, prompting the world’s biggest tennis stars and the United Nations to demand answers about her whereabouts, as well as a full investigation into her allegations against Zhang.
The Chinese authorities have not acknowledged the sexual assault allegations against Zhang, and discussion on the issue continues to be censored in China.
Amid mounting worldwide outcry, people working for the Chinese government-controlled media and the state sports system released a series of “proof of life” photos and videos of Peng. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it had at least two video calls with her, saying the Chinese tennis star “reconfirmed” that she was safe and sound.
In Sunday’s interview, Peng expressed her appreciation to the IOC, saying that she is “very grateful” to the Olympic body and that she was “very happy to have video calls with them.”
Peng also said he wrote an email to WTA President and CEO Steve Simon retracting the allegations “entirely of my own free will.” At the time, Simon questioned the validity of the email, saying that “we won’t be comfortable until we have a chance to speak to her.”
A WTA spokesperson told CNN on Monday, “It was again good to see Peng Shuai on a public stage and we certainly hope he is doing well.
“As we have consistently said, these appearances do not alleviate or address significant concerns about his well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion. We stand firm in our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into his assault charge. sexual, which is the issue that generated our initial concern. “
The incident prompted the WTA to announce an immediate suspension of all tournaments in China, including Hong Kong, on December 1. CEO Simon said the decision was based on the “unacceptable” response from Chinese officials, including the rush to censor Peng’s allegations and ignore calls for a full and transparent investigation.
The saga comes just months before the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, an event several Western nations have said their diplomats will boycott over China’s human rights record.
China’s Foreign Ministry said the government hoped that “malicious speculation” about Peng’s well-being and whereabouts would stop, and that his case should not be politicized. The ministry has also said that Peng’s situation “was not a diplomatic issue.”
CNN has repeatedly sought reactions from both Peng and the Chinese State Council, which handles press inquiries for the central government.
As vice premier, Zhang, 75, served on the party’s Politiburo Standing Committee, the country’s supreme leadership body, along with President Xi Jinping from 2012 to 2017.
