Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai’s videoconference with the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not address or alleviate the concerns of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) about her well-being, the WTA said on Monday.
The whereabouts of Peng, formerly the world’s number one doubles team, became a topic of international interest nearly three weeks ago after she alleged that former Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli sexually assaulted her.
She appeared at a dinner with friends on Saturday and at a children’s tennis tournament in Beijing on Sunday, as shown in photos and videos published by Chinese state media journalists and event organizers, but that did little to allay fears.
“It was nice to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don’t alleviate or address the WTA’s concern for their well-being and their ability to communicate without censorship and coercion,” said a WTA spokeswoman via email.
Asked about the videoconference with the IOC, the spokeswoman replied: “This video does not change our call for a full, fair and transparent, uncensored investigation into your allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our concern initial.”
The IOC said in a statement that Peng held a videoconference with its chairman, Thomas Bach, on Sunday, during which she said she was safe and well in her Beijing home and wanted her privacy to be respected for now.
Global activist groups are calling for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February in reaction to China’s human rights record.
Reference: CNN Brasil
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