Tennis Canada announced Thursday its intention to support the WTA in its efforts to locate Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who has been missing for two weeks.
“Like all players in the tennis world, Tennis Canada is deeply concerned about the health, safety and well-being of Peng Shuai,” a statement sent on the organization’s Twitter account could be read. . Obtaining independent and indisputable proof that it is safe is a priority. “
The statement came out hours after an email attributed to Peng that was allegedly received by a Chinese state broadcaster before being broadcast on social media Twitter raised concerns about his safety, while many influential players and leaders in the sport want reassurance about his health and whereabouts.
And so far it’s radio silence.
Senior Chinese leaders have still not said anything publicly since accusations were leveled two weeks ago by the holder of two double Grand Slam titles, who alleged she was sexually assaulted by a former top Party leader. Chinese Communist.
The first case in the #MeToo lineage to splash the Chinese government was not reported in the country’s media, and discussion of the topic on the internet has been largely censored.
Steve Simon, the president and chief operating officer of the WTA, questioned the authenticity of the email addressed to him, in which Peng refutes his own allegations and claims to be safe. The message was released on Thursday by CGTV, the international branch of China’s state broadcaster CCTV.
“I have a lot of difficulty believing that Peng Shuai wrote the email we received, and believing the comments attributed to him,” Simon wrote.
The message, he added, “only heightens my concern about his health and safety.”
Simon has therefore called for an investigation to be launched, and the WTA has stressed that it is ready to cancel all its tournaments in China if the country does not take the necessary measures to reassure him.
“Tennis Canada offers its full support to Steve Simon and the WTA. […] It is imperative that Peng Shuai be able to speak freely, without censorship, and that his allegation be fully and transparently investigated, ”added Tennis Canada.
The day before, tennis star Naomi Osaka said she was stunned to learn that a colleague has been silent since she made allegations of sexual assault against a former top Chinese Communist leader.
The former world No. 1, holder of four Grand Slam titles, posted a message on social networks Wednesday to relaunch the research: where is Peng Shuai?
In its Twitter post on Wednesday – under the hashtag ‘WhereIsPengShuai’ – Osaka wrote: “I don’t know if you’ve been following the news lately, but I was recently informed that a tennis player has been missing shortly. after revealing that she had been sexually assaulted. Censorship is never acceptable, no matter what. “
The 24-year-old Japanese, who has not appeared on the WTA tour since losing to Quebecer Leylah Annie Fernandez at the US Open in September, said she hopes Peng and her family “Are safe”.
“I’m stunned by the current situation,” she said, “and I stand with her wholeheartedly. “
Other star players have also spoken, including world No.1 Novak Djokovic, and leaders of the men’s and women’s professional circuits have already demanded an investigation into the allegations made by the holder of two doubles Grand Slam titles.
In a long social media post that quickly disappeared, Peng wrote that Zhang Gaoli, a former deputy prime minister and member of the powerful Communist Party political bureau, had forced her to have sex with him despite his numerous refusals, following a tennis match held three years ago. She added that they also had sex seven years ago, and then developed feelings for him.
Peng is a former world no.1 doubles – she won 23 doubles titles on the WTA Tour, including those at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014.
The Associated Press could not verify the authenticity of the message, which was published Tuesday evening from its official Weibo account, a flagship social media platform in China. The post was quickly deleted, and a search for Peng’s account on Weibo subsequently returned no results. Neither she nor Zhang could be reached for comment.
These are the first allegations against an influential Chinese politician since the #MeToo wave started in China in 2018, a move that was quickly muzzled by authorities in the same year.
Zhang retired in 2018 and disappeared from the public eye, like many Chinese politicians after their careers ended.
Peng has not played on the WTA tour since the Qatar Open in February 2020. In singles, she reached the four-finals at the US Open in 2014 and the round of 16 at the Internationals in 2014. Australia in 2015. She has never crossed the third round of a major tournament since Wimbledon in 2017.