Photos of Missing Chinese Tennis Star Peng Shuai, Posted Online
BEIJING — An employee of Chinese state TV has posted photos
of missing tennis star Peng Shuai online in a new effort to dispel concern
about her disappearance after she accused a senior leader of sexual assault.
The photos appeared Friday on Twitter, which cannot be seen
by most internet users in China. The state TV employee, Shen Shiwei, wrote they
were on Peng's account on the WeChat message service with the comment, “Happy
Weekend.”
The ruling Communist Party faces mounting appeals from
tennis stars and the sport's professional tour to prove Peng, a three-time
Olympian and former No. 1-ranked women's doubles player, is safe and let her
speak freely.
Meanwhile, the editor of a newspaper published by the party
said Peng would “show up in public” soon.
The controversy is politically awkward as the Chinese
capital prepares to hold the Winter Olympics in February. A Foreign Ministry
spokesperson on Friday denied knowing about the outcry over Peng's
disappearance.
Peng, 35, hasn’t been seen in public since posting a
statement on social media this month accusing Zhang Gaoli, a former member of
the party’s Standing Committee, the ruling inner circle of power, of forcing
her to have sex despite repeated refusals.
Shen works for CGTN, the English-language arm of China
Central Television that is aimed at foreign audiences. His Twitter post came
after CGTN this week distributed a statement it said came from Peng that
retracted the accusations against Zhang.
The editor of Global Times, an English-language newspaper
published by the Communist Party, said on Twitter he had confirmed from
unidentified sources that the photos “are indeed Peng Shuai’s current state.”
“In the past few days, she stayed in her own home freely and
she didn’t want to be disturbed,” wrote the editor, Hu Xijin. “She will show up
in public and participate in some activities soon.”
The photos showed Peng with a gray cat and holding a panda
figurine in what appeared to be a private home with stuffed animals lined up
behind her. There was no indication when the photos were taken.
Steve Simon, the chairman and CEO of the Women’s Tennis
Association, reacted Saturday to a video purporting to show the tennis player
at a restaurant.
“I am glad to see the videos released by China state-run
media that appear to show Peng Shuai at a restaurant in Beijing. While it is
positive to see her, it remains unclear if she is free and able to make
decisions and take actions on her own, without coercion or external
interference. This video alone is insufficient,” Simon said.
“As I have stated from the beginning, I remain concerned
about Peng Shuai’s health and safety and that the allegation of sexual assault
is being censored and swept under the rug. I have been clear about what needs
to happen and our relationship with China is at a crossroads.”
Simon has threatened to pull the WTA’s events out of China.
That means almost a dozen next year, including the WTA Finals.
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