{"id":1016121,"date":"2021-11-15T17:14:24","date_gmt":"2021-11-15T22:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1016121"},"modified":"2021-11-15T17:14:29","modified_gmt":"2021-11-15T22:14:29","slug":"wta-threatens-to-leave-china-after-tennis-star-accusing-regime-official-of-rape-vanishes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wta-threatens-to-leave-china-after-tennis-star-accusing-regime-official-of-rape-vanishes\/","title":{"rendered":"WTA Threatens to Leave China After Tennis Star Accusing Regime Official of Rape Vanishes"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwta-threatens-to-leave-china-after-tennis-star-accusing-regime-official-of-rape-vanishes%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1016121&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\"><span>The Women\u2019s Tennis Association (WTA) on Monday called for a full investigation into the allegations of sexual assault made by Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai against a senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peng ominously disappeared ten days ago after she made her accusations public on Chinese social media.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>Peng, a major sports celebrity in China and a top-ranked player worldwide at the height of her career, wrote a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/11\/03\/chinese-tennis-star-accuses-senior-communist-official-of-rape\/\"><span>sensational post<\/span><\/a><span> on China\u2019s social media platform Weibo on November 2 accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her to have sex a decade ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peng said she and Zhang, who is 40 years her senior and married, had an intermittent sexual relationship over the ensuing years, but Zhang broke it off after accusing Peng of recording their conversations.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18759466\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"36\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/China-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18759466\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/China-2.jpg\" alt=\"Zhang Gaoli attends a welcoming ceremony for Russia&#039;s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev outside the Great Hall of the People on November 1, 2017 in Beijing, China. (Lintao Zhang\/Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Zhang Gaoli attends a welcoming ceremony for Russia\u2019s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev outside the Great Hall of the People on November 1, 2017, in Beijing, China. (Lintao Zhang\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>Zhang is, by far, the highest-ranking Chinese official to be accused of sexual assault during the #MeToo era.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>Peng\u2019s accusations were <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/news\/china-censors-metoo-claims-against-top-politician\/\"><span>quickly censored<\/span><\/a><span>, but many social media users made screen captures before her Weibo post was deleted.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peng herself was then <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skynews.com.au\/australia-news\/sport\/wta-calls-for-investigation-after-chinese-tennis-star-peng-shuai-goes-missing-following-sexual-assault-allegations\/news-story\/0e641e54a24819ab359901b7fa1a5df7\"><span>deleted<\/span><\/a><span>&nbsp;\u2013 the sports celebrity has not been seen or heard from since her charges went public, Internet searches for information about her are blocked, and her name has been scrubbed from Chinese websites.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Tennis great Chris Evert joined the #WhereIsPengShuai hashtag on Sunday:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"9.3582089552239\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Yes, these accusations are very disturbing. I\u2019ve known Peng since she was 14; we should all be concerned; this is serious; where is she? Is she safe? Any information would be appreciated.\ud83d\ude4f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RH0aYCDqQm\">https:\/\/t.co\/RH0aYCDqQm<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChrissieEvert\/status\/1459848382307086342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 14, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>Chinese women\u2019s rights activists are trying to raise awareness by projecting the #WhereIsPengShuai hashtag onto random buildings:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"7.6\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Peng Shuai has vanished from the public eye ever since she came forward and made her claims. Chinese feminists and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Metoo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Metoo<\/a> activists are deeply concerned about her safety. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WhereIsPengShuai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WhereIsPengShuai<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Y1l7jA6Jbb\">pic.twitter.com\/Y1l7jA6Jbb<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 FreeChineseFeminists (@FeministChina) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FeministChina\/status\/1459998814450987009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 14, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>WTA chairman and CEO Steve Simon <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wtatennis.com\/news\/2350641\/wta-seeks-full-fair-and-transparent-investigation-into-sexual-assault-allegations-against-former-chinese-leader\"><span>said<\/span><\/a><span> on Sunday the events surrounding Peng Shuai are a matter of \u201cdeep concern\u201d for the organization.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>\u201cPeng 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,\u201d Simon said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWe expect this issue to be handled properly, meaning the allegations must be investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Simon\u2019s statement was quickly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/nov\/15\/concern-growing-chinese-tennis-star-accused-china-official-assault-peng-shuai\"><span>endorsed<\/span><\/a><span> by legendary players Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, France\u2019s Alize Cornet, and former Olympic competitor Maryse Ewanje-Epee.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>\u201cIf at the end of the day, we don\u2019t see the appropriate results from this, we would be prepared to take that step and not operate our business in China if that\u2019s what it came to,\u201d Simon told the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/11\/14\/sports\/peng-shuai-zhang-gaoli.html\"><i><span>New York Times<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span>(NYT) on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI think everybody fully understands what\u2019s at stake here on many different fronts as we\u2019re going through it. I think we\u2019re certainly, from players to board to council, fully united that the only acceptable approach is that of doing what is right,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Simon told the <\/span><i><span>NYT <\/span><\/i><span>that \u201cseveral sources, including the Chinese Tennis Association,\u201d have assured the WTA that Peng is \u201csafe and not under any physical threat\u201d \u2013 but added that no one from the WTA has been allowed to speak with her.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18759354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"37\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/GettyImages-1170377996.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18759354\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/GettyImages-1170377996.jpg\" alt=\"Shuai Peng of China reacts during the match against Garbine Muguruza of Spain on Day 2 of 2019 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open at Optics Valley International Tennis Center on September 23, 2019 in Wuhan, China. (Wang He\/Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shuai Peng of China reacts during the match against Garbine Muguruza of Spain on Day 2 of 2019 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open at Optics Valley International Tennis Center on September 23, 2019, in Wuhan, China. (Wang He\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>Simon compared the current situation to the National Basketball Association (NBA) notoriously submitting to CCP pressure after former Houston Rockets manager Daryl Morey <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/sports\/2020\/12\/23\/daryl-morey-support-hong-kong-protests-im-very-comfortable-with-what-i-did\/\"><span>retweeted<\/span><\/a><span> a pro-democracy message from Hong Kong in 2019. The NBA is once again feeling pressure from China to silence Boston Celtics player Enes Kanter\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/sports\/2021\/11\/02\/nbas-enes-kanter-cultish-chinese-communist-party-hong-kong-free\/\"><span>outspoken criticism<\/span><\/a><span> of forced labor in Xinjiang province.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cLook, I can\u2019t speak to the decisions that the NBA made. They had, obviously, different issues. But in this situation, the WTA issue is about potential sexual assault of one of our players. That is something that simply can\u2019t be compromised,\u201d Simon said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/tennis\/2021\/11\/15\/peng-shuai-sexual-assault-allegations-wta-in-china\"><i><span>Sports Illustrated<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span>(SI) on Monday advised Simon to make good on his threat and pull the WTA out of China:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"25\">\n<p><span>This isn\u2019t just sweeping human-rights abuses and something systemically untroubling. This is a player- a longstanding, top-flight, well-liked veteran \u2013 caught in the gears and reportedly \u201cmissing.\u201d How, in any kind of conscience \u2013 much less, good conscience \u2013 can the WTA continue engaging here? How can players who have global brands and have, admirably, used their platform to speak credibly about other forms of social justice, abide by this?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The WTA must ask itself a simple question: What does it stand for? What is its objective? If it\u2019s simply to maximize revenues, it will stay in China, where a dozen events are held, more than in any other country. If the WTA has terms beyond the mercenary, it must demand transparency and action. And be prepared to get out, to stop doing business in a country so unaligned with its purported mission.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>\u201cWhat a statement this would send \u2013 especially with a Winter Olympics months away,\u201d <\/span><i><span>SI <\/span><\/i><span>suggested.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic on Monday <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/djokovic-shocked-peng-disappearance-173533580.html\"><span>said<\/span><\/a><span> Peng\u2019s disappearance was \u201cshocking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13035602\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"36\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Novak-Djokovic-.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13035602 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Novak-Djokovic-.png\" alt=\"tennis\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Serbia\u2019s Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning against Greece\u2019s Stefanos Tsitsipas during their men\u2019s singles quarter-final tennis match at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 \u2013 Rolex Paris Masters \u2013 indoor tennis tournament at The AccorHotels Arena in Paris on November 1, 2019. (Martin Bureau\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>\u201cThere\u2019s not much more to say than to hope that she\u2019s ok and it\u2019s just terrible,\u201d Djokovic said. \u201cI can imagine how her family feels, you know, that she\u2019s missing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Djokovic was in the spotlight on Monday for winning his opening Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) finals match. ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said the association is also \u201cdeeply concerned by the uncertainty surrounding the immediate safety and whereabouts of WTA player Peng Shuai.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Women\u2019s Tennis Association (WTA) on Monday called for a full investigation into the allegations of sexual assault made by Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai against a senior Chinese Communist &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1016121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1016121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1016121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1016121\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1016121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1016121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1016121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}