{"id":1033019,"date":"2021-11-19T16:29:08","date_gmt":"2021-11-19T21:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1033019"},"modified":"2021-11-19T16:29:10","modified_gmt":"2021-11-19T21:29:10","slug":"womens-tennis-chairman-skeptical-of-all-is-well-email-from-missing-peng-shuai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/womens-tennis-chairman-skeptical-of-all-is-well-email-from-missing-peng-shuai\/","title":{"rendered":"Women\u2019s Tennis Chairman Skeptical of All-Is-Well Email from Missing Peng Shuai"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/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%2Fwomens-tennis-chairman-skeptical-of-all-is-well-email-from-missing-peng-shuai%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=1033019&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>Women\u2019s Tennis Association (WTA) chairman and CEO Steve Simon on Wednesday expressed deep skepticism about a purported email allegedly from missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. Simon said he had a \u201cvery hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThe statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts,\u201d Simon wrote in his <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wtatennis.com\/news\/2356029\/statement-by-steve-simon-wta-chairman-ceo\"><span>statement<\/span><\/a><span> on Wednesday.<\/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>\u201cThe WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable proof that she is safe. I have repeatedly tried to reach her via numerous forms of communication, to no avail,\u201d Simon said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cPeng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source. Her allegation of sexual assault must be respected, investigated with full transparency and without censorship,\u201d he demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peng, once a top-ranked women\u2019s tennis player worldwide and a major celebrity in China, wrote a social media post on the state-controlled Weibo social media platform on November 2&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/11\/03\/chinese-tennis-star-accuses-senior-communist-official-of-rape\/\"><span>accusing<\/span><\/a><span> former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexually assaulting her a decade ago. Peng was about 25 at the time, while Zhang is 40 years her senior.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\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>In the post, Peng said she expected to face retribution for daring to confront Zhang, the highest-ranking Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official to be accused of sexual assault.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cEven if it\u2019s just striking a stone with a pebble, or a moth attacking a flame and courting self destruction, I will tell the truth about you,\u201d she wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peng\u2019s post was almost immediately deleted by Chinese censors, Internet searches for her name were blocked, and she vanished without a trace.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Simon issued a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/11\/15\/womens-tennis-china-tennis-star-rape\/\"><span>statement<\/span><\/a><span> on behalf of the WTA on Monday calling for an investigation of her claims and demanding proof of her well-being. A growing number of star tennis players <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/news\/shocked-tennis-star-osaka-posts-where-is-peng-shuai\/\"><span>expressed concern<\/span><\/a><span> for her safety and joined a social media hashtag called #WhereIsPengShuai.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>On Wednesday, the state-run China Global Television Network (CGTN) <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/11\/17\/china-publishes-bizarre-email-tennis-player-missing-since-accusing-official-rape\/\"><span>published<\/span><\/a><span> a suspiciously stilted message billed as an email from Peng to Simon, assuring the WTA chairman and tennis fans around the world that she is fine, all is well, and she never accused any senior CCP officials of assaulting her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Simon questioned the veracity of this email in his statement on Wednesday, as did most others concerned for Peng\u2019s safety. Criticism of the repressive Chinese government is growing louder as the Beijing Winter Olympics approach.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>\u201cThe brazen efforts to silence Peng Shuai seem at odds with China\u2019s focus on making the Beijing Olympics a success,\u201d Lowy Institute public opinion director Natasha Kassam told the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/11\/17\/world\/asia\/peng-shuai-zhang-gaoli-china-tennis.html\"><i><span>New York Times<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span>on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>On the other hand, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pronounced itself satisfied with the dubious email from Peng. \u201cWe have seen the latest reports and are encouraged by assurances that she is safe,\u201d the IOC said in a statement on Thursday quoted by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/tennis\/story\/_\/id\/32656779\/china-state-media-release-attributed-peng-shuai-raises-wta-concerns\"><span>Associated Press<\/span><\/a><span> (AP).<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18724306\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"40\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/beijing-olympics-walks-olympic-rings-exterior-of-national-stadium-e1637272211679.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18724306 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/beijing-olympics-walks-olympic-rings-exterior-of-national-stadium-e1637272211679.jpg\" alt=\"The Associated Press\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A man walks past the Olympic rings on the exterior of the National Stadium, also known as the Bird\u2019s Nest, which will be a venue for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics, in Beijing, February 2, 2021. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein, File)<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>International Tennis Federation spokeswoman Heather Bowler told the AP on Thursday her organization is in touch with the Chinese Tennis Association, but like the WTA, has not been able to speak directly to Peng.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The Chinese Foreign Ministry <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-china-59325399\"><span>refused<\/span><\/a><span> to answer questions about Peng for the second time this week on Thursday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThis is not a foreign affairs matter, and I am not aware of the relevant situation you mentioned,\u201d Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded when asked about Peng.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) wrote a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/banks.house.gov\/uploadedfiles\/china_tennis_letter.pdf\"><span>letter<\/span><\/a><span> to President Joe Biden on Wednesday asking the administration to raise the \u201cissue of Peng\u2019s safety and whereabouts\u201d with Chinese officials \u2013 and \u201csuspend any high-level dialogues with China until China responds satisfactorily.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI also urge you to warn the Chinese authorities that China\u2019s silencing and abusing Peng Shuai, if not handled properly, will have a negative impact on China hosting the Winter Olympics of 2022 and will only exacerbate the movement to boycott the games,\u201d Banks told Biden.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Women\u2019s Tennis Association (WTA) chairman and CEO Steve Simon on Wednesday expressed deep skepticism about a purported email allegedly from missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. Simon said he had &#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-1033019","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\/1033019","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=1033019"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1033019\/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=1033019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1033019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1033019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}