The White House said on Friday that it is seeking answers to the disappearance of Chinese professional tennis player Peng Shuai, adding to the growing number of parties worried about her happiness.
She wrote a blog post on November 2 that accused China’s former deputy prime minister Zhang Gaoli of sexually assaulting her three years ago, raising concerns about the safety of the 35-year-old woman.
Since being accused, Peng has not appeared in public and has not posted any posts on social media. Chinese state media deleted her blog post and reportedly censored all news about the incident in the country.
White House Press Secretary Jean Psaki The president said Joe Biden His government “deeply concerned” about Peng’s disappearance and worried about her safety. She stated that China should provide the world with “independent and verifiable evidence” about the position and condition of tennis players.
Fred Lee/Getty
“[Any] In a briefing at the White House press conference, Psaki added that reports of sexual assault should be investigated and support women’s ability to speak out and take responsibility. “[The Biden administration will] Continue to stand up for freedom of speech. We know that the People’s Republic of China has zero tolerance for criticism and has a record of shutting up those who speak up. We continue to condemn these practices. “
Outside the Biden administration, many high-profile tennis stars have expressed their concerns about Peng on social media, and the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai continues to be popular on social media Twitter.
The world’s number one female tennis player Naomi Osaka said on Twitter that she was “shocked by the current situation” and “censorship at any cost is absolutely impossible.”
The top ten female player Julia Goerges expressed similar views on Twitter. “I am deeply concerned about the ongoing situation involving Peng Shuai,” she said. “We live in a world where victims should not be allowed to remain silent. I stand with the entire tennis world and say, we need answers!”
I am deeply concerned about Peng Shuai’s current situation. We live in a world where victims should not be silenced. I stand with the entire tennis world and say, we need answers! #Where is Peng Shuai pic.twitter.com/kiMc2AOsXm
-Jule Goerges✌️🇩🇪 (@juliagoerges) November 18, 2021
Peng has participated in the three Olympic Games before. Although the White House and others are worried, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) seems to believe that she is safe.
The International Olympic Committee said in a statement on Thursday that it “sees the latest report and is encouraged by it.” [Peng] It is safe. “
However, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) does not agree with this feeling. Its Chairman and CEO Steve Simon said, “WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable evidence to prove that she is safe.”
In a so-called e-mail sent by Peng to the WTA, she said that she was safe at home and that her allegations of sexual assault were lie. However, WTA does not believe that this email was written by Peng, but by the Chinese official media.
Simon said: “I can hardly believe that Peng Shuai really wrote the emails we received, or believe that it was blamed on her.” “Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without intimidation or intimidation from any source. Her sexual assault allegations must be obtained. Respect, the investigation must be conducted in a completely transparent manner and not subject to scrutiny.”
WTA has threatened to withdraw from Chinese tennis tournaments because of this issue.
When contacted for comment, the White House mentioned Weekly newspaper Statement by Press Secretary Psaki.
