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Disappearance of tennis player Peng Shuai: accusations to global concern, key moments of the case

2021-11-19T14:28:03.287Z


The Chinese, former winner of Roland-Garros in doubles, has not shown any sign of life for more than two weeks. She accused the former


For more than two weeks, the case of Peng Shuai's disappearance has worried the sports community and has started to shake up China, who are increasingly being asked to prove that the player is okay.

We take a look back at this disturbing story in five points.

November 2: she posts her story on Weibo

On November 2, the former world number 1 in doubles Peng Shuai rocked the Chinese Internet by posting on Weibo, the national Twitter, a post in which she accused the country's former vice-premier, Zhang Gaoli, of rape. A long and chilling story, in which she describes not only years of an abusive extramarital sentimental relationship and especially a forced sexual intercourse, dating from three years ago, with the complicity of the wife of the former Chinese leader.

" I was very scared.

That afternoon, I initially refused.

I kept crying, ”she writes.

“In the grip of fear and confusion (…) I gave in and we had sex.

"At the conclusion of this message, she was already worried about the consequences of her speaking:" Even if it is like throwing an egg against a stone, like a moth approaching a flame like its self-destruction, I will speak the truth about us.

"

A complete English translation of Peng Shuai's deleted post.

We owe it to her to read her full story in her own words #WhereIsPengShuai pic.twitter.com/yGNkd07j6a

- delusional raducanu stan (@RaducanuIN) November 16, 2021

From November 2 to 11: censorship and disappearance

In the wake of its publication, the post was removed from Weibo and all content around Peng Shuai severely censored. And then… nothing. On November 11, an article from Le Monde

emphasizes that the Chinese player has not given any sign of life since the publication of this message, neither in public, nor on social networks. "Peng Shuai's long story spanned about twenty minutes on Weibo, enough time for thousands of users to take screenshots and then share them," the article says. Since then, the account of the former professional player has not published anything new. Comments have been disabled, and the topic is subject to tight censorship across Chinese social media. On the day of the reveal, even the word "tennis" (wangqiu) was banned by Weibo. In the past, other Chinese figures have disappeared after speaking publicly against the regime.

To read also Tenniswoman Peng Shuai, Jack Ma, Fan Bingbing ... in China, the old strategy of "enforced disappearance"

In the wake of the publication of the article, and in particular in France, social networks, in particular Twitter, seized on the question.

Many personalities, and in particular journalists, in the world of sport, share messages and photos of the player accompanied by the

hashtag

“WhereIsPengShuai” (where is Peng Shuai?).

"It had the effect of child abduction alerts on me, with this feeling that we had to act very quickly," explained the former athlete Maryse Éwanjé-Épée, who quickly relayed the message on her Twitter account.

Even if she is fine, given the alert she has issued, we have a duty to worry about her.

"

Now we will be heard!

Now we will hear our voices!

#WhereIsPengShuai


It's never too late to react 🙏🏾 https://t.co/0Tb9WaP98D

- Maryse Éwanjé-Épée (@EwanjeEpee) November 18, 2021

November 17: the email of discord

On Wednesday, the Chinese media shared an email, sent to WTA President Steve Simon, in which she explained how well she was and demanded that publications about her be stopped without her consent.

This email follows the publication of a first press release by the institution on November 14, expressing its concern about the disappearance of the player and asking for a fair and transparent investigation.

This email is quickly considered suspicious, given the phrases used and the lack of concrete evidence.

Read alsoWTA threatens to withdraw all competitions from China

"The statement released today (Wednesday) by the Chinese official media concerning Peng Shuai only increases my concern about his security and his location," responded Steve Simon in a statement released in the wake.

“I find it hard to believe that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received and that she could mean the words attributed to it.

"

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has sent an email to Steve Simon, the WTA Chairman & CEO, CGTN has learned.

The email reads: pic.twitter.com/uLi6Zd2jDI

- CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) November 17, 2021

In the wake of this new episode, many tennis personalities, both male and female, spoke publicly to support Peng Shuai.

Among the most resounding, we note the world number 1 Naomi Osaka, the French number 1 Alizé Cornet or, Thursday evening, the legend Serena Williams, who all express their concern.

The UN calls for proof that she is doing well

Since Thursday on social networks, the hashtag and visuals representing the player have spread like wildfire through the accounts of many personalities, from various backgrounds. “I followed this story a bit from a distance and after ten days of silence, I said to myself:

Nobody reacts! After a while, you have to say and do something,

”said Alizé Cornet in an interview with L'Équipe on Friday.

On Friday, the United Nations (UN) said it wanted proof that the Chinese player is doing well.

“It would be important to have proof of where she is and to know if she is okay.

And we urge a transparent investigation into his allegations of sexual assault, ”OHCHR spokesperson Liz Throssell said during a press briefing in Geneva.

.

#WhereIsPengShuai pic.twitter.com/51qcyDtzLq

- NaomiOsaka 大 坂 な お み (@naomiosaka) November 16, 2021

In France, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has obviously taken note of the situation and, if it does not have additional information "beyond what has already been published", ensures that it is keeping a close eye on this affair.

"It is an extremely strong subject for the mobilization of our diplomacy, both against gender-based violence in the world, for equality between women and men, but also in the particular case of sport where we are still somewhat more vigilant in the context of Olympism, they say at the Quai d'Orsay.

We will seek clarification from the Chinese authorities.

"

As a reminder, the Winter Olympics will be held next February in Beijing, China.

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2021-11-19

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