November 22, (THEWILL) – Peng Shuai, the Chinese tennis player who has been in the news for being incommunicado, spoke with the president of the International Olympic Committee via video chat on Sunday.
The IOC said in a statement that Peng Shuai assured him that she was safe and sound.
After a nearly three-week public disappearance following her allegation that former Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli sexually abused her, photos and images of Peng enjoying a tournament in Beijing earlier on Sunday did little to calm global fears.
Peng praised the IOC for its care for her well-being at the outset of the 30-minute call with its president, Thomas Bach, according to the IOC.
According to a video shared by Hu and corroborated by a restaurant manager, Peng visited a popular restaurant in central Beijing on Saturday night. However, neither Zhang nor the Chinese government had responded to her sexual assault allegations.
Peng’s social media post was promptly erased, and the issue was removed from the internet’s strictly restricted conversation. Peng’s safety will be confirmed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), which said it would continue to seek confirmation from her.
On Wednesday, the Chinese state media source, CGTN, published an email Peng allegedly addressed to the WTA’s chairman, denying any claims that she had been sexually abused.
Chairman Steve Simon said he does not believe Peng authored the email herself.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
