Sébastien Le Belzic 11:30 am, December 3, 2021

On Wednesday, the WTA decided to cancel all tournaments it is hosting in China in connection with the Peng Shuai affair.

The federation asks to meet the tennis player, visibly under pressure from the authorities since her accusations of sexual assault against a Chinese dignitary.

World women's tennis is determined to win its standoff against Chinese power.

On Wednesday, the organizing body of the women's circuit, the WTA, suspended all its tournaments in China.

A decision with great financial consequences since the country represents almost half of the Federation's income.

And yet, the WTA will not change its mind until it meets the player, muzzled by Beijing since his accusations of sexual assault against a former deputy prime minister.

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The IOC goes ostrich

The Olympic Committee, it would have exchanged with the champion this week.

Two months before the Beijing Winter Olympics, the IOC does not want to offend the host country.

This is the second contact in ten days between the IOC boss and the Chinese tennis champion.

A sign of the growing feverishness of world sport authorities, the IOC says it shares the same concerns as many athletes regarding Peng Shuai.

But the committee defends a human approach.

According to him, the tennis champion seems to be safe, but is still not free to move.

Beijing denounces a "politicization of sport"

This is why the WTC took everyone on the wrong foot by canceling indefinitely all tennis tournaments held in China, ten in total, including the women's masters with $ 14 million in rewards.

The Chinese diplomacy spokesman's pithy response: "We have already developed our position. We are firmly opposed to any politicization of sport."

A hell of a setback for Beijing as the Winter Olympics approach.

Because the case brings water to the mill for those who call for a boycott of the Olympics because of human rights violations in China.

There are just two months in Beijing to regain the advantage, under penalty of further tarnishing its image.