The editor-in-chief of the Chinese newspaper, Global Times, said today, Saturday, that tennis player Bing Shuai, who disappeared in mysterious circumstances about two weeks ago, is staying at her home "freely" and will appear to the public "soon."
Mystery has surrounded the fate of the Chinese tennis star - ranked first in the world in doubles before - since announcing that she was sexually assaulted by a former deputy prime minister of China.
Peng has not appeared in public since she revealed on her social media account this month that Zhang Gaoli, who was a member of China's highest decision-making body, forced her to have sex and later had an on-and-off consensual relationship.
Chinese feminists' artwork to support Peng Shuai.
"CHINESE WOMEN SAID ENOUGH".
#WhereIsPengShuai #PengShuai pic.twitter.com/eeGd52axfH
— FreeChineseFeminists (@FeministChina) November 14, 2021
Neither Zhang nor the Chinese government has commented on the allegations.
Discussion of the post, which was deleted about half an hour after it was posted on the heavily censored Chinese media, was banned.
"In the past days, she (Ping) stayed at her home freely, did not want to be disturbed, and she will appear in public and participate in some activities soon," Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the official newspaper, said on Twitter.
Amid concerns with Peng's disappearance, the WTA has threatened to withdraw its tournaments from China, and the WTA has demanded clarification from the Chinese authorities.