The Women’s Tennis Association has suspended all tournaments in China amid issues for the welfare of Chinese player, Peng Shuai. According to an AFP report, Steve Simon from the WTA says the tournaments, together with those planned for Hong Kong, can not go forward whereas Peng is unable to speak freely. The Winter Olympics are as a outcome of take place in Beijing in February.
“In good conscience, I don’t see how I can ask our athletes to compete there when Peng Shuai just isn’t allowed to speak freely and has seemingly been pressured to contradict her allegation of sexual assault.”
โซล่าเซลล์ disappeared for 2 weeks after alleging she was sexually abused for years by Zhang Gaoli, a former senior official in the governing Chinese Communist Party. The allegation, which appeared on social media, has now been deleted. Since then, Peng has re-appeared in public and has had a video call with Thomas Bach from the International Olympic Committee. However, Simon doesn’t imagine she was speaking freely on that call, during which she insisted she was secure and nicely and wanted her privateness revered.
“While we now know where Peng is, I even have severe doubts that she is free, protected, and never topic to censorship, coercion, and intimidation. None of this is acceptable nor can it turn into acceptable. If highly effective individuals can suppress the voices of girls and sweep allegations of sexual assault underneath the rug, then the basis on which the WTA was founded – equality for women – would endure an immense setback.”
Simon has welcomed the assist of the European Union, the United Nations, the US, and the UK, all of whom have known as on the Chinese government for more proof that Peng isn’t being censored or intimidated. Meanwhile, according to the AFP report, the International Tennis Federation says it understands why the WTA had to take the stance it has.
“The WTA has stood agency and true to its values from the start and we perceive their determination. We will continue to carefully monitor the state of affairs.”