(Melbourne) Spectators at the Australian Open will now be able to wear T-shirts in support of Chinese player Peng Shuai provided they do not engage in hostile behavior, the tournament organization announced on Tuesday. had created controversy on Sunday.
Posted at 10:35 a.m.
“Yes, provided they don’t show up as a hostile mob to cause trouble but are peaceful,” tournament boss Craig Tiley told AFP, adding that security officers would judge as needed. per case.
Organizers sparked controversy by asking fans to remove their T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Where is Peng Shuai?” on the grounds that the tournament “does not allow political clothing, banners or signs”, according to a spokesperson for the Australian Tennis Federation.
The American of Czech origin Martina Navratilova, tennis legend with her 18 Grand Slam titles (in singles), denounced a “pathetic” decision on Twitter.
“There have been misunderstandings for some people who are not here and do not really know the big picture,” said Craig Tiley on Tuesday.
“The situation for the past two days is that some people have come with a banner on two big poles and we cannot allow that,” he added.
“If you come to watch the tennis, that’s fine, but ultimately we can’t allow anyone to cause a disturbance.”
“Not political”
The about-face comes as local media quoted human rights experts as saying Tennis Australia’s stance could be illegal.
“There seems to be no valid reason to ask a participant to remove a T-shirt that highlights a human rights problem,” lawyer Michael Stanton told The newspaper. Age.
In response to the organizers’ ban, an Australian human rights activist managed to raise over A$14,000 (over C$12,800) on the GoFundMe platform to print the same t-shirts and distribute them to spectators ahead of the final of the women’s tournament.
The pressure on the organizers was also maintained by the Australian government.
“It’s very worrying and I think we should talk about these issues,” Defense Minister Peter Dutton told Sky News on Tuesday, encouraging “not just celebrities but also tennis organizations, including Tennis Australia”, to speak.
“We don’t want to drag sport into the realm of politics, but it’s not a political issue, it’s a human rights issue regarding the treatment of a young woman who claims to have been sexually assaulted “, he added.
Former world doubles number one Peng Shuai is absent from Melbourne amid fears for her well-being after she posted a lengthy post on Chinese social media Weibo in November, which has since been deleted, in which she accused former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, 40 years her senior, of “forced” sex during a relationship that lasted several years.
China very quickly blocked any reference to this message, and it then did not appear in public for almost three weeks.
Her subsequent public appearances did not end concerns about the 36-year-old missing out on the Australian Open.
The WTA has been hailed for its firm support for the player, going so far as to suspend its tournaments in China.
Players continued to inquire directly about Peng in order to be reassured about his safety.
Craig Tiley reiterated that the organization’s “primary concern” was “Peng Shuai’s well-being”.
“We have staff in China and we used our resources to help locate her early on. Since then, she has come forward and made statements, ”he defended himself.
“We encourage him to have direct conversations,” he added. “The most appropriate people to do that are the WTA.”