Upset tennis star Naomi Osaka Posts: Where is Peng Shuai?

BEIJING (AP) Tennis star Naomi Osaka says she is shocked to hear about another fellow player who has gotten worse after she was charged with sexual violence against a former senior Chinese civil servant.

Japanese former number one the four-time winner posted on social media on Wednesday to join those who ask: where is Peng Shuai?

In a Twitter post with the hashtag WhereIsPengShuai Osaka wrote: I’m not sure if you’ve been following the news, but I recently got word of a tennis player who has disappeared shortly after he revealed he was sexually abused. Censorship is never ok at any cost.

The 24-year-old Osaka, who has not played on tour since defending his U.S. Open championship in a third-round defeat in September, said he hopes Peng and his family are safe and fit.

I am shocked by the current situation, he wrote, and I send him love and light.

Other leading players, including No. 1 men Novak Djokovic was shocked, and the organizers of the women’s and men’s professional tennis rounds have called for a full investigation into the claims of the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion.

Peng wrote on long social media earlier this month that the former deputy prime minister had forced him into sex despite repeated refusals. The message was removed from his verified account at Weibo, China’s leading social media platform, and China’s fully state-controlled media has suppressed reporting of the incident.

Reports of the allegations circulated overseas for more than a week before WTA chairman and CEO Steve Simon issued a statement saying Peng Shuai and all the women deserve to be heard, not censored.

His accusation of the former Chinese leader’s behavior related to sexual violence must be taken extremely seriously.

The men’s tour followed on Monday, with ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi saying tennis authorities were deeply concerned about the immediate safety and whereabouts of WTA player Peng Shua.

We are encouraged by the recent assurances from the WTA that he is safe and that he is on account and is monitoring the situation closely, Gaudenzi said. Separately, we fully support the WTA’s call for a full, fair and transparent investigation into Peng Shui’s sexual violence.

Peng, 35, wrote that Zhang Gaoli, a former deputy prime minister and member of the standing committee of the ruling Politburo of the ruling Communist Party, had forced him into sex despite repeated refusals after a round of tennis three years ago. He said Zhang’s wife was guarding the door during the incident.

Her message also said they had sex once seven years ago and had feelings for her since then.

As is customary for retired Chinese officials, 75-year-old Zhang dropped out of the public eye after retiring in 2018, and is not known to have close professional or political ties to current leaders.

Peng won 23 tour-level doubles championships, including at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014. He was in the doubles semi-finals at the US Open in 2014. Peng has not played at the top since the Qatar Open last February. , before the restrictions on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peng also played in three Olympics in 2008, 2012 and 2016, but the International Olympic Committee has been silent on his accusations. The IOC and China will host the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4th.

His accusation was the first prominent government official since the #MeToo movement took over in China in 2018, before it was largely shut down by authorities that same year.

When Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian asked at a daily news conference on Monday about the Pengs allegation, he said: I have not heard about the matter, and it is not a diplomatic issue.

In response to another question at Wednesday’s daily news conference, Zhao said he had no knowledge of Peng’s situation.

Do you think the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman is omnipotent? Zhao asked the reporter. I recommend that you ask the relevant authorities.

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