Not in danger, missing tennis star says in call
Peng seen at Beijing tourney
BEIJING — Missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai told Olympic officials in a video call from Beijing that she was safe and well, the International Olympic Committee said Sunday after Peng reappeared in public at a youth tournament in Beijing, according to photos released by the organizer.
The 30-minute call came amid growing global alarm over Peng after she accused a former member of the Communist
Party’s ruling Standing Committee, Zhang Gaoli, of sexual assault on Chinese social media three weeks ago.
China’s ruling Communist Party has tried to quell fears abroad while suppressing information in China about Peng.
Sunday’s call — with committee president Thomas Bach, athletes commission chair Emma Terho and committee member Li Lingwei, a former vice president of the Chinese Tennis Association — appears to be Peng’s first direct contact with sports officials outside China since she disappeared from public view on Nov. 2.
Peng “thanked the IOC for its concern about her well-being,” the Switzerland-based Olympic body said in a statement.
“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,” the statement said.
That post was removed within minutes and she vanished from public view. She did not respond publicly to calls for information to show she was safe.
Peng adds to a growing number of Chinese people who have disappeared in recent years after criticizing party figures, or in crackdowns on corruption or pro-democracy and labor rights campaigns.
Some reemerge weeks or months later without explanation, suggesting they are warned not to disclose they were detained or the reason.
“I was relieved to see that Peng Shuai was doing fine, which was our main concern,” Terho said in the commission statement. “I offered her our support and to stay in touch at any time of her convenience, which she obviously appreciated.”
In photos posted Sunday by the China Open on the Weibo social media service, Peng was shown standing beside a court, waving and signing oversize commemorative tennis balls for children.
Her disappearance and official silence in response to appeals for information prompted calls for a February boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. The women’s professional tour threatened to pull events out of China unless Peng’s safety was assured.
The commission had previously remained quiet about the status of Peng, helping to contribute to its multimillion-dollar revenue from broadcasting and sponsorships. The commission said Saturday it would “continue our open dialogue on all levels with the Olympic movement in China.”
Discussion of Peng’s accusation has been deleted from websites in China.
A government spokesman on Friday denied knowing about the outcry. The ruling party’s internet filters also block most people in China from seeing other social media abroad and most global news outlets.
Steve Simon, the Women’s Tennis Association CEO, expressed concern for Peng’s safety after Global Times editor Hu Xijin posted two videos Saturday that appeared to show her in a restaurant.
“While it is positive to see her, it remains unclear if she is free. … This video alone is insufficient,” Simon said.