The US, France and the UK are demanding evidence from China of missing tennis star Peng Shuai's safety.
The sexual assault affair turns into a geopolitical dispute.
Beijing / Munich - The case of the missing tennis player Peng Shuai has reached politics. Over the weekend, the US, France and the UK called on China to provide evidence of the whereabouts and safety of the former world number one doubles. "We are extremely concerned about the disappearance of Peng Shuai and are following the matter closely," said the British Foreign Office on Saturday in London. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also called for clarification.
Peng has not been seen in public since she charged former Vice Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli with sexual assault on November 2 on the Weibo online service.
Both had had a relationship in previous years, according to the Post - before Zhang rose to the Communist Party's Political Bureau and became Vice-Prime Minister.
The coercion described by Peng took place many years later when they met again at the house of the Zhang couple.
Censors cleared the mail in half an hour and the drama began.
The Peng Shuai affair becomes a global political issue - the USA, France and Great Britain are calling for clarification
The Chinese government has so far been silent. But over the weekend, the Chinese state media published videos and photos that are supposed to show Peng Shuai in normal everyday situations. Hu Xujin, editor of the state newspaper
Global Times
, published two videos on Saturday. She allegedly showed one of them at dinner with her trainer and two friends. A photo then circulated on Sunday showing Peng Shuai at the finals of a children's tennis tournament. The organizer had posted it.
The international players' organization WTA was unimpressed by the dinner video. It was said to be positive to see Peng. "But it remains unclear whether she is free and can act without coercion and interference." Last week, the WTA had already questioned the authenticity of a mysterious Mail Pengs. In it, she allegedly emphasized that she had never accused Zhang and only rested.
The WTA is threatening to withdraw from China because of the affair. The organization certainly has a certain leverage effect, because many top-class tournaments take place in China every year. The relations of his association to China are at a "crossroads", stressed WTA boss Steve Simon in a letter to the Chinese ambassador in Washington. "I hope I can rely on you to convey these messages to the leadership in China so that the problem can be solved." International tennis stars such as Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic and most recently Roger Federer also expressed public concerns about her colleague.
The USA and Great Britain are also considering a diplomatic boycott of the Olympic Games in Beijing in February 2022. This means that athletes can compete, but no government representatives travel to Beijing.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova foamed on Twitter: “Can't hear you IOC !!!
The last time I checked, Peng Shuai was an Olympian !!! ”The missing star case was“ bigger than women's tennis, bigger than tennis, bigger than sport.
It's about basic human rights… “The Beijing Winter Games are a thorn in the side of many politicians in the West anyway because of the human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
Nevertheless, most states have so far hesitated to boycott.
The case of Peng Shuai could be the drop that brings the barrel to overflow.
(ck / with AFP)