Women's Tennis Association remains 'deeply concerned' about Peng Shuai

An email still does not convince about the whereabouts of Peng Shuai 2:59

(CNN) -

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) "remains deeply concerned" that Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai "is not free from censorship or coercion."

In an email statement this Saturday, the WTA says CEO Steve Simon has attempted to communicate with Peng "through various communication channels," including two emails "to which it was clear that his responses were influenced by others." .

Therefore, Simon has "decided not to re-engage by email until he is satisfied that his responses were his and not those of his censors."

"The WTA remains concerned about their ability to communicate freely, openly and directly," the statement concludes.

Peng, one of China's most recognizable sports stars, publicly accused former Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli of forcing her to have sex at his home, according to screenshots of a since deleted social media post dated November 2. .

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Following the indictment, Peng disappeared from public view, prompting several tennis players to express concern on social media, using the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai.

On November 21, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in a statement that its president, Thomas Bach, had a 30-minute video call with the three-time Olympian Peng, accompanied by a Chinese sports official and an IOC official.

The statement said that during the call, Peng appeared to be "fine" and "relaxed," and said she "would like her privacy to be respected."

The IOC did not explain how the video call with Peng had been organized.

However, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized the IOC's role in collaborating with the Chinese authorities in the reappearance of Peng Shuai.

IOC gives encouraging news on Peng Shuai 1:01

"It is a completely different order of magnitude to see Thomas Bach, in a photograph with a woman, Peng Shuai, under intense pressure, we can reasonably assume from other cases, to roll back his claims of sexual assault, rather than thinking about doing everything in their power and that of the organization to report it and ensure that it is provided with the support, investigation and prosecution that may well be justified, "said HRW China Director Sophie Richardson on November 23.

'No one was able to establish contact'

Longtime IOC member Dick Pound told CNN's Christiane Amanpour this week that he was "baffled" by the reaction to the video call between Peng and Bach.

"Basically a lot of people around the world were looking to see what happened to Peng Shuai and no one was able to make contact."

"Only the IOC could do it, and there was a video conversation with Thomas Bach, who is an older Olympian, and two younger IOC members. No one has posted the video because I assume that aspect was private."

"They found her in good health and in a good mood and saw no evidence of confinement or anything like that."

Pound added that he has not seen a recording of the video call, but that he "just relies on the combined judgment of the three IOC members who were on the call."

• Who is Zhang Gaoli?

  The man at the center of tennis player Peng Shuai's #MeToo accusations

Zhang has kept a low profile and vanished from public life since his retirement in 2018, and there is no public information regarding his current whereabouts.

Before retiring as deputy prime minister, Zhang was the head of a Chinese government task force for the Beijing Games.

In office, he inspected venues, visited athletes, unveiled official emblems and held meetings to coordinate preparation work.

Zhang previously met with Bach, the IOC president who held a video call with Peng, on at least one occasion, and the two were photographed together shaking hands in the Chinese capital in 2016.

Peng shuai