WTA: A clear sign of life? - Peng Shuai spoke to IOC President Thomas Bach on the phone
Peng Shuai appeared in public for the first time since her allegations. Among other things, IOC President Thomas Bach spoke to the Chinese.
by SID
last edit: Nov 21, 2021, 09:08 pm
Sign of life from Peng Shuai: The Chinese tennis player is apparently physically healthy and was touched by the great sympathy after her disappearance. The former Grand Slam winner in doubles made a video call with IOC President Thomas Bach on Sunday, and the rings organization also distributed a corresponding photo. Previously, current course clips were allegedly distributed via the Chinese state media. Is everything okay then?
In the 30-minute conversation, which was also attended by the Chair of the Athletes' Commission of the International Olympic Committee, Emma Terho, and the Chinese IOC member Li Lingwei, Peng thanked them for their concern for their well-being. According to the IOC, the 35-year-old also said that she was fine, but asked to be respected for her privacy. Peng also assured her that she would continue to be involved in the tennis sport she loves. But: the circumstances of their temporary disappearance remain nebulous. And that leaves questions.
Bach invites Peng to dinner for January
“I was relieved to see that Peng Shuai was fine, which was our main concern. She seemed relaxed. I offered to support her and to stay in contact with her at all times, which she obviously appreciated, ”Terho was quoted in the IOC announcement. At the end of the call, Bach invited Peng to dinner as soon as he arrived in Beijing in January. The 35-year-old was happy to accept this.
The Winter Olympics will begin in China's capital on February 4th. The situation was tense for the IOC and the host country even before the Peng Shuai case. The Uighur question, Hong Kong and the Tibet conflict are recurring topics in the international media. Most recently, US President Joe Biden threatened a diplomatic boycott - an affront for the Beijing regime.
Meanwhile, the fate of Peng Shuai preoccupied politicians, athletes and other celebrities around the world. The women's professional organization WTA threatened to withdraw tournaments from the Middle Kingdom. On Sunday several signs of life were made public.
The editor-in-chief of the state newspaper Global Times posted a short video on Twitter in which the 35-year-old was allegedly seen opening a youth tennis tournament in a Beijing stadium. In the clip, Peng wears a navy blue sports jacket and white sweatpants and stands in the midst of a group of guests whose names are called out to great applause.
A state newspaper reporter tweeted another video allegedly showing Peng signing autographs for children in the same stadium and then posing for photos. A recording had previously appeared that was supposed to show the former top 20 player with friends in a restaurant in Beijing.
Global Times editor with "clear evidence"?
It is clear that the video from the restaurant "was recorded on Saturday Beijing time," wrote Global Times editor Hu Xijin. In fact, during the conversation a man says, “Tomorrow is November 20th” - but is corrected immediately by a woman that it will be November 21st - and thus Sunday. The conversation, apparently filmed on a smartphone, appears staged, and Peng makes a relaxed impression on the recordings.
WTA boss Steve Simon described the video from the restaurant as "not sufficient". The head of the women's tennis organization called it "positive" that Peng could be seen. However, it is still unclear whether the player is "free and able to make decisions and take measures independently and without coercion or outside interference." This question remains unanswered even after the brief IOC press release.
Peng Shuai wrote on the Twitter-like medium Weibo earlier this month that he had been sexually abused by former Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli, 75. The entry in the social medium as well as numerous Internet entries about Peng were deleted, of which there was no trace afterwards. The calls for it should not fall silent even after the videos and messages that have now appeared.