Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, missing since denouncing sexual assault
- Zhang Gaoli, a former Chinese deputy minister, denounced in early November on social media that he had been sexually assaulted, and has since not been made public.
Suspicion increases. Concern over the disappearance of Chinese professional tennis player Peng Shuai has spread throughout the world and, among others, professional tennis players Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic have written on social media that expect Shuai to be “good”.
In early November, the 35-year-old woman published on the Chinese social network Weibo an extensive message denouncing that former 75-year-old Chinese deputy minister Zhang Gaoli had “forced her to have sex.” The note was deleted immediately by Weibo and some other messages alluding to Shuai. The high office of the Chinese Government, Gaoli, has not pronounced itself and Shuai, who has disappeared in public following the denunciation of sexual assault.
At the request of creditable tests
Steve Simon, director of the World Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), explained that he has tried “repeatedly” to contact the tennis player in different ways, but has not succeeded. Chinese media CGTN released an email message on Wednesday stating that it is owned by Peng Shuai. The message says he's been resting at home and that "everything is OK." In addition, according to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the complaint for sexual assault is "false" and has no prospect of doing so. The British channel BBC has warned that it was unable to see the original message, and other media have questioned its truthfulness and authenticity.
The WTA leader has also not been convinced that Peng Shuai has written, and has stated that this email has only made him “increase his concern”. Simon has claimed that the WTA and the world "need" proof that the tennis player is "safe", which is "verifiable and independent." “Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without any pressure or threat,” he added. It has called for an investigation into the allegation of sexual assault "with total transparency and without censorship".
The voice of women gains strength
In recent months, the #MeToo movement is gaining strength in China, and women, especially those who are known to be heard in Chinese society, are seeing more and more cases of male assaults. The first was Peng Shuai, who accused a senior politician in Libya. The tennis player is a well-known player not only in the country but also internationally; among other things, he was world champion by pairs in 2014 and holds two titles from the Grand Slam category.
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