Naomi Osaka has joined a growing coalition of people concerned about Peng Shuai’s safety.
After accusing a former high-ranking politician of sexual assault, one of China’s biggest tennis stars Peng Shuai has gone mysteriously quiet — prompting international concern about her safety. Here’s what we know so far.
What happened to Peng Shuai?
Earlier this month, Peng wrote on the Chinese social media platform Weibo that she had been sexually assaulted in 2017 by Zhang Gaoli, a former vice-premier of China. They had been involved in a consensual affair, but Peng said did not consent in that instance. Peng, 35, was once ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles, winning titles at Wimbledon and the French Open, and retired last year.
“That afternoon, I was very afraid. I didn’t expect it to be like this,” she wrote in a post that was deleted within minutes. “I didn’t agree to have sex with you and kept crying that afternoon.”
Internet searches for her name, details of the alleged assault, and, briefly, the word “tennis” were blocked in China.
Will there be an investigation?
The Women’s Tennis Association has called for Chinese authorities to investigate and end its censorship of the incident. If action isn’t taken, the organization’s CEO Steve Simon warned the WTA may move its tournaments out of the country. Eleven tournaments are played in China, including the tour finals, which are held in Shenzhen.
Where is Peng Shuai now?
Peng hasn’t been seen or heard from since she came forward — and she wouldn’t be the first Chinese celebrity to abruptly slip out of the public eye. Actress Fan Bingbing dropped off the radar for almost a year after she was ordered to pay millions in taxes and fines, while tech billionaire Jack Ma disappeared for months after criticizing the country’s financial regulators.
Simon said he’s received “confirmation from several sources,” including from the Chinese Tennis Association, that Peng is safe in Beijing. But neither he nor the WTA have been able to contact her.
Naomi Osaka has joined a growing coalition of players concerned about Peng. “Censorship is never OK at any cost. I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and OK,” Osaka wrote on Twitter with the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has also called the situation “shocking” and said he couldn’t “imagine just how her family feels.”
