China tennis star claims to be safe in video call

International Desk

Published: November 22, 2021, 09:23 AM

China tennis star claims to be safe in video call

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said she was safe and well in a video call on Sunday, BBC reports citing the International Olympic Committee says.

In a statement, the IOC said its President Thomas Bach had spoken to Peng for 30 minutes.

"

was doing fine, which was our main concern," the statement read.

Peng, 35, disappeared from the public eye for almost three weeks after she made sexual assault allegations against a senior Chinese minister.

Her absence triggered widespread concern, with international sports stars and governments calling on China to provide proof that she was safe.

"At the beginning of the 30-minute call, Peng Shuai thanked the IOC for its concern about her wellbeing," the statement from the organisation said.

"She explained that she is safe and well, living at her home in Beijing, but would like to have her privacy respected at this time," it added.

"She prefers to spend her time with friends and family right now," it said. "Nevertheless, she will continue to be involved in tennis."

The IOC statement also included an image of the video call taking place, with Peng seen smiling to the camera.

The outcry over the tennis star's apparent disappearance from the public eye prompted Chinese state media to release a series of photographs and videos that appeared to show all was well.

Earlier on Sunday, a state media journalist posted a video clip on Twitter showing Peng smiling while standing with officials at a tennis tournament in Beijing.

Event organisers also published photos of the player on the event's official We Chat page.

But a spokesperson from the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) told Reuters the videos were "insufficient" evidence of her safety and did not address its concerns about Peng.

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