(Paris) The CEO of the WTA, which manages the professional women’s tennis circuit, on Wednesday expressed his “concern” about the safety of Peng Shuai and said he doubts official information from China on the case.
“The statement released today (Wednesday) by Chinese official media regarding Peng Shuai only increases my concern for his safety and location,” wrote Steve Simon in a statement released Wednesday evening.
“I find it hard to believe that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received and that she could mean the words attributed to her,” he adds.
Chinese state channel CGTN on Wednesday evening unveiled an email attributed to Peng Shuai, which the Chinese player reportedly sent to the WTA management, without the authenticity of the message being able to be confirmed.
The reservations of the international organization of women’s tennis are linked in particular to the fact that the player has not reappeared since November 2.
The comments in the originally suspicious email contradict statements made by Peng Shuai, who accused former Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli of coercing her into sex three years ago.
“The information, especially concerning the accusation of sexual assault, is false,” said the player. I am neither missing nor in danger. I was just resting at home, everything is fine. Thanks again for hearing from me ”.
Steve Simon added that Peng Shuai had “shown incredible courage in describing sexual violence which she says she suffered at the hands of a former senior Chinese leader.” He also claims “independent and verifiable proof” that the player is safe.
“I tried several times to reach her by different means of communication, in vain,” he said, demanding that Peng Shuai “be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation of any kind. ”
The 35-year-old former world No. 1 in doubles accused on social media former deputy prime minister Zhang Gaoli, who from 2013 to 2018 was one of China’s most powerful politicians, for forcing her to have sex before making her his mistress.
This accusation was briefly posted on November 2 on the player’s official Weibo account (a Chinese equivalent of Twitter). As of November 4, China had blocked all reference to this message attributed to Peng Shuai, but which AFP was unable to confirm if it had been written by the player herself.
Since then, the player has not communicated or made a public appearance and Zhang Gaoli has never publicly reacted to the accusations.