A French Open doubles champion has reportedly ‘vanished’ after accusing China’s former vice premier of sexual abuse.
Concerns are mounting for the safety of tennis star Peng Shuai. The former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion’s whereabouts are unknown after she accused a Chinese official of sexual assault.
Sport celebrities and fellow tennis pro spoke out after she went missing on November 2, since accusing Zhang Gaoli, of sexual assault.
Censors deleted Peng’s Weibo post and blocked her account. Advocates are demanding an investigation with the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai.
She posted a long write up on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Facebook, that former vice premier Zhang Gaoli forced her to have sex with him, a post which was quickly deleted and all of her recent content has been removed from the site. The word tennis – ‘wangqiu’ – was even censored.
The post was taken down within 20 minutes as the site is heavily monitored by the state. Peng’s profile was briefly disabled and was not showing up when searched for. Also, writing about either her or Zhang on Weibo causes an error message to show. The error message says the post violates ‘relevant laws and regulations’.
Peng said that she and married Zhang had been involved in a periodical affair since 2011 when the pair met in Tianjin. The post explains how Peng slept with Zhang once that year, and possibly a second time before he was promoted to the bureau and cut all ties with her.
He allegedly rekindled their relationship in 2018 after his retirement from politics, and invited Peng for dinner with his wife after which he pressured the tennis star into sex. Peng claims she was ‘crying’ and refusing Zhang’s advances, before eventually succumbing and reigniting an ‘unpleasant’ three-year affair.
“You’ve said you are not afraid. But even as an egg hurled at a rock, a moth to a flame for self-destruction, I will speak the truth with you,” -she stated in her post.
The 35-year-old also admits to having no evidence that the affair happened as Zhang ensured it remained a secret.
During a press conference on November 3, a Beijing foreign ministry spokesperson refused to acknowledge the subject and declared: “I have not heard of it and it is not a diplomatic question.”
Zhang (75) was a vice-premier in Beijing and served on the ruling Communist party’s powerful seven-member standing committee of the Politburo.
After so much pressure and questions by the general public, on November 17, Chinese state media published a letter purportedly from Peng, claiming that she is safe, resting at home and that the allegations of sexual assault are not true. The observant public noticed a flaw in the supposed letter as a cursor was seen in between the write up which suggested it was an edited, fake letter.
The CEO of WTA, Steve Simon is also not convinced by this later. Hence, he said Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored. Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness. In all societies, the behavior she alleges that took place needs to be investigated, not condoned or ignored. We commend Peng Shuai for her remarkable courage and strength in coming forward. Women around the world are finding their voices so injustices can be corrected.
Lv Pin, a Chinese activist for women’s rights, tweeted her disgust upon learning of the news: “They [the CCP] have always been rotten and decadent.
“They’ve always been exploiting women, but it’s only that it’s been done behind black curtains.
“Her revelation is very important, for it lets people get a glimpse of the real life of China’s highest leaders, their excessive abuse of power, corruption and their fear behind a moral façade wrapped in power.”
Chinese feminists and #Metoo activists, journalist Sophie Huang Xueqin has reportedly been arrested and accused of ‘inciting subversion of state power’.
Not only is #WhereisPengShuai trending on all social media platforms, the streets of China have also be painted with her picture and hashtag demanding Peng’s whereabout.
The world of sports is asking the same question in one voice and demands an immediate but convincing answer; WHERE IS PENG SHUAI?
MOLATsportgist 
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