"The International Olympic Committee has acted irresponsibly regarding the missing Chinese tennis player Feng Shui," the Sports & Rights Alliance organization was accused today (Wednesday).
As a reminder, Shawi aroused international concern when she posted a message on social media claiming that former Deputy Prime Minister Zheng Geuli had sexually assaulted her, and her traces have since disappeared.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Feng was healthy and intact after speaking with her for 30 minutes by telephone on November 21, after Western governments and the global tennis community expressed concern for her safety.
The 35-year-old has not been seen in public for nearly three weeks since she raised her claims.
"The conduct of the Olympic Committee in relation to the allegations of sexual assault and disappearance of Feng Shui was irresponsible and shows how hollow his understanding of human rights really is," Andrea Florence, Acting Director of Sport & Rights Alliance, said in a statement.
"The committee's tendency to ignore the voice of an Olympic athlete who could be in jeopardy and support claims by the state - sponsored media in China shows the committee's urgent and critical need for a human rights strategy," she added.
The Sport & Rights Alliance, made up of NGOs and trade unions, aims to promote human rights in sport.
They argued that the Olympic Committee must make the needs of athletes a top priority at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, which are set to begin in just over two months, and called on it to use its influence to push China to investigate Feng's claims "independently and transparently."
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