Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai on Sunday denied ever accusing anyone of sexually assaulting her.
Peng gave an “exclusive” interview with Singaporean outlet Lianhe Zaobao, during which she said she had “never said or written that anyone sexually assaulted” her.
“I have to clearly stress this point,” she said in the video, which Reuters translated.
Peng, 35, made headlines in November when she wrote a lengthy post on Chinese social media platform Weibo that alleged former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli forced her to have sex despite repeated refusals following a round of tennis three years ago. She further claimed Zhang’s wife guarded the door during the incident.
The post disappeared from her account, and China’s state-controlled media appeared to repress any reporting on the case. Peng also disappeared from public for two weeks after making the initial post.
International pressure from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and tennis players resulted in a few limited appearances by Peng, posted by Beijing-backed news agency The Global Times and its editors.
Peng now calls the post a “private matter” and that people “have many misunderstandings” about it. She did not elaborate.
She claimed she has been living at home in Beijing without supervision and made no mention of Zhang.
Her original post, translated to English and posted by What’s On Weibo, detailed how Zhang and his wife took Peng to their home, where they had sex.
Peng may have maintained a relationship with Zhang otherwise, in the attempt to cope with what had happened, but it appeared to end on October 30 after a dispute. Her post went up November 2.
China only made one direct comment on the matter when Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian accused “some people” of “deliberately and maliciously hyping (the issue) up” and suggested they no longer “politicize” an issue that Beijing saw as “not a diplomatic matter.”
Peng in her new post mentioned an email she allegedly sent to WTA head Steve Simon, in which she also denied any allegation of assault. Simon said that he “had a hard time believing” she had written that email.
She provided few opportunities for interviews or communication with Western news outlets and organizations, but the International Olympic Committee on two occasions held video calls with Peng during which she assured them of her well-being.
Peng, who wore a jacket emblazoned with the Chinese flag during the interview, did not provide further details about the perceived allegation, noting that it was a “private matter.”
She added that she is not under any supervision while staying at her Beijing home, addressing concerns that her safety and freedom have been at risk. In a statement, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said it was “good to see Peng Shuai in a public setting and we certainly hope she is doing well.”
The organizing body, however, noted that the appearance does not alleviate or address the WTA’s significant concerns about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion.
In the video, Peng also claimed she wrote the November 17 email to WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon denying she made allegations of the assault and asserting that she was safe. At the time, Simon responded in a statement that he “had a hard time believing” Peng wrote the letter.
Concerns about Peng’s safety and whereabouts arose immediately after the athlete shared a post describing how former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli forced her into sex three years ago, as NextShark previously reported.
The incident allegedly happened after the 75-year-old former member of the highly influential Politburo Standing Committee invited her to dinner with him and his wife.
“I couldn’t describe how disgusted I was, and how many times I asked myself, ‘Am I still a human? I feel like a walking corpse,’” she wrote in her post about her experience.
Peng’s post became a trending topic on local social media, but the discussions about it were immediately blocked on major platforms.
When Peng “vanished” on social media, the WTA and other concerned individuals called for an investigation into the athlete’s safety.
Earlier this month, the WTA announced that it would suspend tournaments in China due to continued concerns for Shuai’s safety.
(NextShark)