• Peng case, the WTA suspends all tennis tournaments in China and Hong Kong

  • The women's tennis federation: "Peng's phone call with IOC president is not enough"

  • The Chinese government attacks: "The case of tennis player Peng Shuai is artfully mounted"

  • China, tennis player Peng Shuai to president IOC: "I'm fine"

  • China: media publish two videos of Peng, doubts about authenticity

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December 06, 2021The International Tennis Federation will not cancel tournaments in China to protest the lack of news of tennis player Peng Shuai, as requested by the Women's tennis association, because it does not want to "punish 1.4 billion people". There is no news of the former number one in the world ranking of tennis doubles since, last month, she revealed on social media that she was sexually harassed by the former vice-premier of China, Zhang Gaoli.   



Her post was quickly removed but the Chinese authorities were unable to initiate an investigation or provide guarantees on her condition to the WTA that requested her. For this reason, the Women's Tennis Association has announced the suspension of all tennis competitions in China. 



The International Federation has instead decided to continue its activities, pending further information. "The ITF is the governing body of tennis all over the world - President David Haggerty told the BBC - We do not want to punish a billion people, so for the moment we will continue to manage our junior and senior events in the country" .     


In the note released after the decision, the Federation nevertheless reiterated that, beyond the choice not to suspend tournaments in order not to "punish" Chinese tennis players and fans, "it supports the rights of all women", specifying that "Our primary concern remains Peng Shuai's well-being. Peng's allegations must be addressed. We will continue to support all efforts made to that end, both publicly and behind the scenes." 



Peng Shuai, the complaint on social media and the disappearance


The tennis player, former world number one in doubles, accused on social media the former deputy prime minister Zhang Gaoli - from 2013 to 2018 one of the most powerful politicians in China - of forcing her to have sex before making her his mistress. This accusation was briefly posted on November 2 on the tennis player's official Weibo account (the Chinese equivalent of Twitter).



As of November 4, China has blocked any reference to this message attributed to Peng Shuai of which there has been no news since. The WTA and his male counterpart, the ATP then called on China to investigate Peng's allegations, and many of the circuit's colleagues have expressed their support for the former Chinese tennis player on social media with the hashtag. #WhereIsPengShuai (Where is Peng Shuai).





In recent days, the spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian, said that the tennis player's case is being "blown" to attack China, after the Chinese media released footage showing that Peng is free and healthy. . The champion also appeared during a video conference with the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, seeking to provide reassurance on her current condition. An attempt that did not, however, serve to totally unravel the doubts about his fate.



The post removed


"Even at the risk of my life, I want to tell the truth about you. We had a fight on the evening of October 30, 2021. You said we would go to your house on the afternoon of November 2 to clarify everything. Today, at noon, you have me called to tell me that you are very busy and that we will hear from you later. And you 'disappeared' again, as you did seven years ago. You said there was no commitment between us. "



It is a passage from the post published last month on Weibo, and then immediately removed, by the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, a message on social media in which, addressing him, he denounces a sexual assault by a senior government official, Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli. Immediately after, the tennis player disappeared from the public scene.       



"You were always afraid that I would bring a tape recorder with me, to collect evidence. I have nothing to prove what happened, neither audio nor video, only the real experience of my life turned upside down. But even if I risk disintegrating, like a egg thrown against a rock, I'm ready to tell the truth about you ", adds the Chinese champion in the post reported in full by the 'Corriere della Sera'.       



"You will deny or go on the counterattack. I am a bad girl who does not deserve to be a mother. You are the father of a son and a daughter. After everything you have done in this life, will you be able to look them in the face with a clear conscience?" , concludes Peng Shuai.