International Tennis Federation (itf) is committed to the safety of the player and supports the investigation of the Chinese player’s whereabouts peng shui, the governing body said on Thursday.
Peng, 35, has not been seen or heard in public since he said on social media that China’s former deputy prime minister, zhang gaolik, forced her to have sex and later they had a consensual relationship.
After about half an hour, his post was deleted.
“The safety of players is always our top priority and we support a full and transparent investigation into this matter,” the ITF said in a statement to Reuters.
Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) President Steve Simon The association cast doubt on an email it received on Wednesday in which Peng denied the allegations of sexual harassment.
Peng was quoted as saying in an email released by Chinese state media outlet CGTN: “I am not missing, nor am I unsafe. I am resting at home now and all is well.”
Simon said he had a “hard time believing” that Peng actually wrote the email himself.
“The statement issued today by Chinese state media regarding Peng Shuai only raises my concerns regarding his safety and whereabouts,” he said in a statement.
“The WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable proof that he is secure. I have repeatedly tried to reach him through multiple forms of communication, to no avail.”
Simon’s demands were supported by human rights group Amnesty International, which said China must prove the player was safe.
Amnesty’s China researcher said, “Peng’s recent so-called statement that ‘all is well’ should not be taken at face value because China’s state media has a track record of coercing statements from individuals under pressure, or simply They have been fabricated.” dorienne lau,
“These concerns will not go away until Peng’s safety and whereabouts are confirmed.”
reach Reuters Chinese Tennis Federation As well as International Olympic Committee But there was no immediate response.
Concerns are growing for Peng among fellow players with the four-time major winner Naomi Osaka And men’s world number one Novak Djokovic both expressed shock.
Osaka wrote on Twitter, “Censorship is not okay at any cost. I hope Peng Shuai and his family are safe and well. I am shocked by the current situation and I am sending love.”
Peng, 35, has not been seen or heard in public since he said on social media that China’s former deputy prime minister, zhang gaolik, forced her to have sex and later they had a consensual relationship.
After about half an hour, his post was deleted.
“The safety of players is always our top priority and we support a full and transparent investigation into this matter,” the ITF said in a statement to Reuters.
Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) President Steve Simon The association cast doubt on an email it received on Wednesday in which Peng denied the allegations of sexual harassment.
Peng was quoted as saying in an email released by Chinese state media outlet CGTN: “I am not missing, nor am I unsafe. I am resting at home now and all is well.”
Simon said he had a “hard time believing” that Peng actually wrote the email himself.
“The statement issued today by Chinese state media regarding Peng Shuai only raises my concerns regarding his safety and whereabouts,” he said in a statement.
“The WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable proof that he is secure. I have repeatedly tried to reach him through multiple forms of communication, to no avail.”
Simon’s demands were supported by human rights group Amnesty International, which said China must prove the player was safe.
Amnesty’s China researcher said, “Peng’s recent so-called statement that ‘all is well’ should not be taken at face value because China’s state media has a track record of coercing statements from individuals under pressure, or simply They have been fabricated.” dorienne lau,
“These concerns will not go away until Peng’s safety and whereabouts are confirmed.”
reach Reuters Chinese Tennis Federation As well as International Olympic Committee But there was no immediate response.
Concerns are growing for Peng among fellow players with the four-time major winner Naomi Osaka And men’s world number one Novak Djokovic both expressed shock.
Osaka wrote on Twitter, “Censorship is not okay at any cost. I hope Peng Shuai and his family are safe and well. I am shocked by the current situation and I am sending love.”
, #WhereIsPengShuai https://t.co/51qcyDtzLq
— Naomi Osaka Naomi Osaka (@naomiosaka) 1637098560000
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