photos and a video of the player appear on the internet

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Photos and a video, the authenticity of which could not be independently verified, showing a smiling Peng Shuai, appeared on social media on Saturday, November 20, as international pressure mounted on the China for information on the fate of the Chinese player.

Peng Shuai, 35, former world number one doubles player and star in his country, has not come out publicly since the revelation of a forced sex and extramarital affair with a powerful ex-manager of the Communist Party, 40 years its senior. The message, briefly posted in early November on the player’s official Weibo account before being censored on the Chinese internet, mentions at least one forced sexual intercourse.

The fate of Peng Shuai has since been the subject of many questions. Several countries including the United States said Friday “concerned” and the UN has asked for proof that the player is doing well, as the hashtag #WhereisPengShuai (# WhereestPengShuai) has spread like wildfire on social media.

Four snaps of the tennis champion were posted late Friday by Shen Shiwei’s Twitter account, labeled “media affiliated with the Chinese state” through the social network. One photo shows the smiling player with a cat in her arms in what appears to be her home. In the background, soft toys, a trophy, a Chinese flag and accreditations are visible.

Another snapshot shows a selfie of Peng Shuai with a figure from Kung Fu Panda, an animated film for children. In the background appears a frame with a picture of Winnie the Pooh. The Twitter account in question claims that these photos were posted privately by the player on a social network to wish “have a nice week end” to his contacts.

AFP was unable to verify their authenticity and requests for an explanation from the Twitter account that published the photos were immediately unanswered.

Later, a video of the player, sitting at a table with her coach and friends in a restaurant, appeared. Again, impossible to have the slightest proof of veracity.

Twitter is a blocked social network in China and only people with VPN-like bypass software can access it. In recent years, however, many Chinese diplomats and official media have created accounts there to defend, sometimes doggedly, China’s point of view. The Peng Shuai case is censored in the country.


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