Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) President Steve Simon announced on Wednesday 1er December, “The suspension of tournaments in China” because of the Peng Shuai case, according to a statement from the body that manages the women’s tennis circuit.
“I am announcing the immediate suspension of all WTA tournaments in China, including Hong Kong. In all conscience, I do not see how I can ask our athletes to participate in tournaments [en Chine] when Peng Shuai is not allowed to communicate freely and has reportedly been pressured to reverse his sexual assault charges. “
“In view of the current situation of the case, I am also very worried about the risks that all our players and our 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 2022 schedule has yet to be released.
Disappeared after accusations against a top executive
During the 2019 season, the last not to have been impacted by the Covid-19, ten tournaments were organized in China – including the end-of-year women’s Masters which, with $ 14 million, had been better endowed financially than their male counterpart. “The WTA will do everything possible to protect its players. Along with us, I hope the leaders of the world will continue to stand up for justice for Peng, and all women, regardless of the financial consequences. “
Peng Shuai, 35, disappeared days in November after accusing former senior Chinese leader Zhang Gaoli of rape. The shattering accusations were the first targeting senior Chinese Communist Party officials since the start of #metoo, a global movement against violence against women.
She was then reappeared on images broadcast by Chinese state television, during a tournament for teenagers in Beijing, the Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger. But she did not speak about her situation and the dissemination of images by journalists from state media familiar with the manipulations gave rise to fear that it was a forced staging.
“It is clear that his answers were influenced”
She also had a dialogue, the same day, by videoconference with the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach. According to the IOC, Peng Shuai explained that she was “Safe and sound at her home in Beijing, but that she would like her privacy to be respected”. Li Lingwei, a former Chinese badminton player who has been an IOC member since 2012, participated in the exchange.
On Saturday, the WTA announced that Mr. Simon had sent the player two emails but that he “Was clear that his answers were influenced by others”, adding that he remained “Deeply concerned about Peng Shuai’s freedom from any censorship or coercion and [avait] decided not to get back in touch with her by email until he was sure that his answers would be personal and not those of his censors ”.
