The player had disappeared after denouncing sexual assault committed by a former Chinese senior. She has done since an appearance on state television, but the WTA believes that she “underwent pressure to return to her accusations”.
Le Monde with AFP
The President of the Association of Tennis Players (Women’s Tennis Association, WTA), Steve Simon, announced, Wednesday 1 Er December, “The suspension of tournaments in China” because of The Peng Shuai case, according to A statement of the instance that manages the female tennis circuit.
“I announce the immediate suspension of all WTA tournaments in China, including Hongkong. In all conscience, I do not see how I can ask our athletes to participate in tournaments [in China] when Peng Shuai Is not allowed to communicate freely and, it seems, undergone pressure to return to its accusations of sexual assault. “
“In view of the current situation of the case, I am also very worried about the risks that all our players and staff would take if we organize tournaments in China in 2022,” he adds. No WTA tournament was planned before the end of the year and the calendar 2022 has not been published yet.
disappeared after charges aimed at a high executive
During the 2019 season, the last one not to have been impacted by COVID-19, ten tournaments had been organized in China – including the end of year female masters which, with $ 14 million, had been Better financially endowed than their masculine equivalent. “WTA will do its best to protect its players. In parallel with us, I hope that the leaders of the world will continue to manifest itself for justice to Peng, and all women, whatever the consequences Financial. “
Peng Shuai, 35, had disappeared a few days in November, after accused of rape Zhang Gaoli, a former Chinese senior executive. The smashing charges have been the first aimed at senior Chinese Communist Party since the beginning of #Metoo, global movement against violence against women.
It was then reappeared on images broadcast by Chinese state television, during a teenage tournament in Beijing, Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger. But she did not speak about her situation and the dissemination of images by customary state media journalists of manipulations showed fear that it is stressed staging.
“It is clear that his answers were influenced”
She had also dialogue, the same day, videoconferencing with the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach. According to the IOC, Peng Shuai explained that she was “healthy and saved to her home in Beijing, but she would like her private life to be respected.” Li Lingwei, former Chinese badminton player who has been a member of the IOC since 2012, participated in this exchange.
Saturday, the WTA announced that Mr. Simon had addressed two e-mails to the player but “was clear that his answers were influenced by others,” adding that he remained “deeply worried about the freedom of Peng Shuai vis-à-vis any censorship or coercion and [had] decided not to recover with it by email until it is certain that his answers would be personal and not those of his censors “.