The WTA, the body that governs the professional women’s tennis circuit, announced this Wednesday that it will cancel all its competitions in China and Hong Kong due to the case of Peng Shuai, as a result of the complaint of sexual abuse that the Chinese tennis player made last 2 November against former Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Paoli. The 35-year-old player remained without giving any signs for days until she finally reappeared in some videos and a subsequent telematic chat with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after the international pressure exerted on the authorities of the Asian country.
In any event, the WTA considers such evidence to be insufficient and requests a rigorous investigation into the player’s complaint. Its president, the American Steve Simon, issued a statement in which he announced the measure and what represents a drastic break with the eastern country.
“With the full support of the WTA Board of Directors, he announced the immediate suspension of all WTA tournaments in China, including Hong Kong. In good conscience, I don’t see how I can ask our athletes to compete there when Peng Shuai is not allowed to communicate freely and has apparently been pressured to contradict her accusation of sexual assault, ”he said. “Given the current state of things, I am also very concerned about the risks that all our players and staff could face if we were to hold events in China in 2022,” continues Simon, aware of the heavy losses that the circuit will suffer.
“With the full support of the WTA Board of Directors, I am announcing the immediate suspension of all WTA tournaments in China, including Hong Kong.”
– wta (@WTA) December 1, 2021
Specifically, China hosts up to nine tournaments on the calendar, including the Masters Cup that has been held in Shenzhen for two years and that two years ago awarded the highest prize in tennis history: 3.9 million to Australian Ashleigh Barty. ; This year, due to the pandemic, it was transferred to Mexico (Guadalajara). The rest correspond to the events of Wuhan and Beijing, in the WTA 1000 category (the highest after the Grand Slams); Zhengzhou (500); Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Tianjin and Nanchang (250); and the WTA Elite Trophy.
“If powerful people can suppress women’s voices and put allegations of sexual assault under the rug, then the foundation on which the WTA was founded, equality for women, would suffer a huge setback. I will not let nor can I allow that to happen to the WTA and its players, ”continued the president, who accused China of leaving him no other option and who is hopeful that the country’s authorities will take action and reconsider their position.
The ATP does not move tab
On the 20th, official Chinese media distributed some videos in which Peng could be seen during the opening of a youth tournament and others in which she had dinner with a group of people, and the day before some photographs in which the player played with a cat, surrounded by stuffed animals.
Later, while social networks unleashed a wave of complaints under the till #WhereIsPengShuai, the tennis player – former world number one in doubles and a semifinalist at the US Open in 2014 – participated in a videoconference with the president of the IOC, the German Thomas Bach, in which she claimed to be “safe and sound”.
However, the WTA is suspicious and considers this evidence insufficient. Therefore, it stands out from China, waiting for a more forceful confirmation. Meanwhile, the body that directs the men’s circuit, the ATP, has not made a statement on the matter and, for the moment, it maintains the appointments in Shanghai (Masters 1000); Beijing (500); Chengdu and Zhuhai (250).
Censorship, interference and intimidation
“Although we know where Peng is, we have many doubts as to whether she is free, safe and not subject to censorship or intimidation,” Simon said in the statement. “Chinese officials have been given the opportunity to end this censorship, verifiably demonstrate that Peng is free and can speak without interference or intimidation, and investigate the allegation of sexual assault fully, fairly and transparently. Unfortunately, China’s leadership has not addressed this serious issue in a credible way, “he concluded.
On November 2, Peng posted an open letter on the Chinese social network Weibo about the abuses he had suffered in 2018 by the 75-year-old Gaoli. The message was immediately censored and the tennis player lost track of her until her reappearance. The UN, countries such as the United States, France and the United Kingdom, as well as numerous world-renowned tennis players asked China to give explanations about their whereabouts and state of health.
The number one, Novak Djokovic, reiterated this Wednesday, after he guided Serbia to the semifinals of the Davis Cup, which he claimed a few days ago. “I fully support the WTA, it is a brave decision,” said Nole, scorer of two points in the quarter series against Kazakhstan, one singles and one in the doubles; “It is important that we support each other. We don’t have enough information about Peng. “
“Outrage” and Chinese threat
Meanwhile, the reaction of the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA) emerged from China on Thursday, through a statement published exclusively by the newspaper Global Times, from the group of People’s Daily (owned by the Communist Party of China).
The aforementioned body expressed its “indignation and firm opposition” to the WTA’s maneuver, and considers that the decision is made based on “fictitious information” and that not only “harasses and harms the tennis player, but will also harm opportunities of the rest to compete ”.
The note adds that the CTA, “together with the stakeholders of the WTA tournaments in China, will firmly protect their rights and legitimate interests according to the relevant laws and agreements.” And he slides a threat: “All legal consequences must be assumed by the WTA.
The previous afternoon, the spokesman for the country’s Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbin, who in previous press conferences had rejected questions about the Peng case for “not being a diplomatic matter”, he limited himself to commenting that “China opposes the politicization of sport”.
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