Peng insists she is ‘safe and well’ in video call with Olympics chief
Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai said she is “safe and well” in a video call with the International Olympic Committee yesterday.
It was the first verified sighting of Peng since she made allegations of sexual misconduct against Zhang Gaoli, a former vice-premier of China, on Nov 2, and came days after United States President Joe Biden threw his weight behind calls for China to prove she was safe.
“Today, IOC president Thomas Bach held a video call with threetime Olympian Peng Shuai from China,” a statement read.
“He was joined by the chair of the IOC athletes’ commission, Emma Terho, and IOC member in China, Li Lingwei, who has known Peng Shuai for many years from her time in the Chinese Tennis Federation.
“At the beginning of the 30-minute call, Peng Shuai thanked the IOC for its concern about her well-being. She explained that she is safe and well, living at her home in Beijing, but would like to have her privacy respected at this time.
“That is why she prefers to spend her time with friends and family right now. Nevertheless, she will continue to be involved in tennis, the sport she loves so much.”
Terho, a former ice hockey player
from Finland, said: “I was relieved to see that Peng Shuai was doing fine, which was our main concern. She appeared to be relaxed. I offered her our support and to stay in touch at any time of her convenience, which she obviously appreciated.”
The IOC had initially been criticised for remaining silent on the issue, while other sporting bodies and high-profile players such as Andy Murray and Serena Williams publicly stated their concern for Peng. Instead, its stated aim of “quiet diplomacy” appears to have provided at least superficial evidence that the former world No14 is not in imminent danger.
Chinese authorities had released a letter purporting to be from Peng claiming “everything is fine”, which was greeted with widespread scepticism. It remains to be seen whether the latest development will satisfy the WTA and its head Steve Simon, who has been praised for his forceful stance on the situation.
Simon has threatened to pull tournaments out of China, the most lucrative market for women’s tennis, if Peng’s allegations are not fully investigated. The IOC’S statement made no reference to Peng’s claims, made on the social media site Weibo and quickly removed.