The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is committed to the safety of players and supports the investigation into the existence of Chinese Peng Shuai players, said the leadership body on Thursday.
Peng, 35, has not been seen or heard from public since he said on social media that former Chinese Premier representative, Zhang Gaoli, forced him to be sex and that they then had a consensual on-off relationship.
The post was removed about half an hour later.
“Player safety is always our top priority and we support full and transparent investigations about this problem,” ITF said in a statement to Reuters.
The Chairperson of the Women’s Tennis (WTA) Association Steve Simon expressed doubts about the email received by the Association on Wednesday where P denied allegations of sexual violence.
Email, released by the Chinese Media Outlet CGTN, quoted a saying: “I am not lost, also insecure.
I just rested at home and everything was fine.” Simon said he had “a hard time believing” that Peng actually wrote his own email.
“This statement released today by Chinese state media about Peng Shuai only raises my worries about safety and existence,” he said in a statement.
“WTA and the whole world need independent evidence and can be verified that he is safe.
I repeatedly tried to reach it through various forms of communication, unsuccessful.” Simon’s demands supported by the Amnesty International Human Rights Group, who said China must prove that the player was safe.
“The new new words that are ‘all okay’ should not be taken at a nominal value because Chinese state media has a track record for coercion from individuals under coercion, or just embracing it,” said Chinese researcher Amnesty, Doriane Lau “this concern is not Will be lost except the security and existence of the Peng is confirmed.
” Reuters reached out to the Chinese Tennis Association and the International Olympic Committee but did not immediately receive a response.
There has been increased concern for the Peng among fellow players, with four-time winners of Naomi Osaka and number one Male Novak Djokovic expressed shock.
“The sensor is okay with any cost.
I hope the Shuai and his family is safe and ok.
I was shocked by the current situation and I sent love and turned on how,” Osaka wrote on Twitter.