The Women’s Tennis Association has renewed calls for a “full, fair and transparent investigation” into sexual assault allegations raised by Peng Shuai, noting that her most recent public appearance does not put to rest concerns for her safety.
In a social media post in November, Peng accused former vice premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault, however in an interview on the weekend Peng said the situation was a “misunderstanding”.
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“I wanted to make this very clear – I have never claimed, or written about anyone having sexually assaulted me,” Peng said. “With regards to Weibo, it’s about my personal privacy … There’s been a lot of misunderstanding … There [should be] no distorted interpretation.”
Peng was speaking to a Chinese-language publication under state control in Singapore, raising concerns that she was not speaking freely. The outlet, Lianhe Zaobao, is known for its pro-Beijing coverage.
“It was again good to see Peng Shuai in a public setting and we certainly hope she is doing well,” the WTA said in a statement.
“As we have consistently stated, these appearances do not alleviate or address the WTA’s significant concerns about her wellbeing and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion.
“We remain steadfast in our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial concern.”
The WTA has already announced it will suspend all events in China for the foreseeable future, due to concerns for Peng’s safety.
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