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China on Tuesday mentioned the controversy surrounding Peng Shuai was being “maliciously” overestimated, after the Chinese language tennis star made sexual assault claims in opposition to one of many nation’s strongest politicians.
Peng, a Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion, was not seen for greater than two weeks after she made the accusations in opposition to former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli.
The 35-year-old Peng reappeared in public for the primary time on the weekend when she was seen attending a Beijing tennis match.
“I feel some individuals ought to cease intentionally and maliciously hyping up, not to mention politicise this challenge,” mentioned international ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian in response to a query on whether or not the case affected China’s worldwide picture.
Beijing will host the Winter Olympics in February.
“I imagine you will have all seen that she lately attended some public occasions and had a video name with IOC president Thomas Bach,” Zhao added.
The remark was probably the most direct response from the Chinese language authorities to Peng’s case.
Till Tuesday, Beijing had repeatedly disregarded questions on her whereabouts and welfare — calling them “not a diplomatic challenge”.
Proof of her claims have additionally been scrubbed from China’s extremely censored Web.
The Girls’s Tennis Affiliation (WTA) has threatened to finish profitable contracts with China except it will get phrase of Peng’s security.
IOC name & criticism
Peng appeared in a 30-minute video name with the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) chief on Sunday.
The organisation mentioned in a press release that through the name, “Peng Shuai thanked the IOC for its concern about her well-being.”
“She defined that she is protected and effectively, dwelling at her house in Beijing, however wish to have her privateness revered right now,” it mentioned.
Earlier Sunday, Peng was seen attending a Beijing tennis match, in official photographs of the occasion.
However human rights teams and sporting authorities abroad have continued to voice concern about Peng and whether or not native authorities will act on her allegations.
“This video doesn’t change our name for a full, truthful and clear investigation, with out censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the difficulty that gave rise to our preliminary concern,” the WTA mentioned, when requested in regards to the IOC name.
Human Rights Watch additionally slammed the IOC and referred to as for them to clarify how the video name with Peng had been organised.
“The IOC has vaulted itself from silence about Beijing’s abysmal human rights file to lively collaboration with Chinese language authorities in undermining freedom of speech and disregarding alleged sexual assault,” mentioned Yaqiu Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“The IOC seems to prize its relationship with a serious human rights violator over the rights and security of Olympic athletes.”
Peng, a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, alleged earlier this month that Zhang, now in his 70s, “compelled” her into intercourse throughout an on-off relationship spanning a number of years.
Following a worldwide outcry, together with from tennis superstars and the United Nations, Chinese language state media reporters have launched a flurry of footage purporting to point out all is effectively with Peng.
Peng’s claims in opposition to Zhang had been the primary time China’s #MeToo motion has touched the best echelons of the ruling Communist Social gathering.
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