Where is Zhang Gaoli? Chinese politician charged by tennis player Peng Shuai remains out of the public eye

While tennis star Peng Shuai appeared in a video call with the head of the Olympics, the former deputy prime minister he accused of sexual assault has remained silent and out of the public eye, maintaining the veil of secrecy that envelops the political elite of China.

The former Olympian accused Zhang Gaoli, who turns 75 this month, of coercing her into having sex three years ago, statements she made on November 2 on social media.

Peng, 35, said she and Zhang, who was deputy prime minister when Beijing was awarded the next Winter Olympics, had been in an on-and-off, spoiled relationship until he broke up with her.

The complaint was deleted shortly after publication and the topic has been blocked on the internet in China. But when the athlete was unaccounted for for almost three weeks, international concern flared, with the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai (“Where is Peng Shuai”).

Peng was seen at various events over the weekend, including a video call with the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, but those appearances do not dispel doubts among other athletes and global organizations about the tennis player’s well-being.

Amnesty International accused the IOC and Bach of participating in a “cover-up of possible human rights violations”By China before the Winter Olympics, which will be held in February in the Asian country.

Less attention has been focused on Zhang, who retired in 2018 and who, like almost all top Chinese leaders, stays out of the public eye in his retirement. He and the Chinese government have not directly commented on Peng’s claims, which Reuters has not been able to verify.

China’s State Council Information Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment and has not commented on Peng’s complaint or prompted Zhang to address the issue.

“Letting Zhang speak will do unwanted reputational damage just before the Winter (Olympic) Games”Said Alfred Wu, associate professor at Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

“Even if the (Communist) Party decides to take internal disciplinary measures against Zhang, it will not announce it immediately, but will wait for the storm to pass to show itself strong”He added.