The head of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Steve Simon said the organization could refuse to hold competitions in China if the authorities did not reveal the whereabouts of local tennis player Peng Shuai. His words are quoted by CNN.
Simon stressed that the WTA will take the risk of not hosting tournaments in China. “We are definitely ready to end our business and deal with all the subsequent complications. Because it is, of course, more than a business, ”he said. The head of the WTA added that the Chinese authorities insist that Shuai is safe, but he has not been able to contact her directly.
The sex scandal erupted on November 3. Then Shuai brought charges against the former Vice Premier of China Zhang Gaoli, claiming that he forced her to have sexual intercourse ten years ago. After that, she stopped communicating. On November 18, a letter allegedly written by Shuai appeared on the Chinese state news channel CGTN, in which she denied reports of her disappearance and asked the WTA not to release news again without her consent.
The 35-year-old Chinese woman retired in 2018. She is a two-time doubles Grand Slam winner. The tennis player also has two gold medals at the Asian Games.
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
