Peng Shaui, a Chinese tennis player and ace who was accused of rape by the former vice-premier of the country is being feared for his safety.
The email was published by Chinese state media in English after Peng claimed that it was an English-language message. In the email, Peng stated that he had not disappeared and that he is safe. It’s fine, everything seems to be okay.
Steve Simon, head of Women’s Tennis Association said that he can’t believe Peng sent the email and it “only raises questions about her safety and whereabouts.”
Simon said that nobody from the WTA has been in direct contact with Peng since she accused 75-year-old Communist party official Zhang Gaoli of coercing her into sex on Chinese social media two weeks ago.
Peng Shuai (35) is a Chinese tennis superstar who hasn’t been seen since November 2, when she made a post on social media claiming that a top Communist official had sexually abused her.
As Chinese media reported that she had sent an email to herself, claiming it was an email from her, the state media claimed her account. She stated: “I just rest at home and all is well.”
“The Chinese state media statement regarding Pengshuai today only raised my concerns about her safety and whereabouts,” he stated.
“I find it difficult to believe that Peng Shuai wrote the email or accepts what she is claiming.
Users of social media were quick to highlight oddities in the email. Peng opened ‘hello everybody’ even though it was apparently a private message addressed to Simon.
A tying cursor is also visible in one of the sentences. This suggests that the email may actually be a screenshot from a word processing document.
Peng claimed to have been involved in a ten-year affair with Zhang Gaoli (pictured), saying he sexually assaulted her in 2018
Advocacy group Chinese Human Rights Defenders added that the email ‘should not be taken at face value’, and that the Chinese state has a history of arbitrarily detaining people who implicate the government or its officials in wrongdoing.
Peng has been the focus of appeals from fellow tennis players, and Naomi Osaka (Japan ace) said she was’shocked” by Peng’s sudden disappearance.
Peng first made headlines on November 2 when she uploaded a lengthy post to her personal Weibo account – China’s version of Facebook – accusing Zhang of coercing her into sex during a years-long affair.
Peng, who is married to Zhang, revealed in her post that they had been involved in an ongoing affair since 2011, when Peng met Zhang in Tianjin. Zhang was the premier of the city at the time.
This post explains how Peng had slept with Zhang one time that year and perhaps a second before he was elevated to the country’s influential political bureau and severed all ties.
He allegedly revived the relationship in 2018, after his retirement as a politician. Peng was invited to dinner by Peng with his wife, after which Peng pressured Peng into sexual relations.
Peng speaks of ‘crying and refusing Zhang’s advances’, but eventually gave up.
Peng claimed that this started a three year affair which Peng described as unpleasant.
She admits that she has no evidence of the affair, but Zhang insists on keeping the secret.
Her post concluded: ‘You’ve said you are not afraid.
Peng claimed the allegations in an extensive social media posting on Weibo. Her account was then heavily censored.
Peng, who was the first Chinese woman to be ranked No. 1 in doubles in China, is now a household name. She is currently ranked 14th.
“But even as an eggs hurled at rocks, or a moth to the flame of self-destruction for self-destruction,” I will share the truth with your.
It’s not obvious why she decided to tell the truth now.
Zhang was a vice-premier in Beijing and served on the ruling party’s powerful seven-member standing committee of the political bureau.
Peng, who was ranked the No.1 player in China in doubles in 2014 by the Women’s Tennis Association is an international celebrity.
At the moment, she is ranked 14th worldwide.
Within 20 minutes after being posted to Weibo (which is closely monitored by China), her post was removed.
Peng’s profile was temporarily disabled and did not show up in search results on the site.
Peng deleted the offensive post, and Peng disabled all comments. The profile was later found again.
Weibo users were prohibited from posting any information about Peng, Zhang or the alleged affair. Chinese search terms for terms such “tennis” were also disabled temporarily on Chinese websites.
The foreign ministry of China has denied any knowledge and Zhang also has not replied to inquiries for comment.
Lv Pin, a Chinese activist for women’s rights, tweeted shortly after the post was revealed: ‘They [the CCP]Always been decrepit and disgusting.
They’ve always been exploiting women, but it’s only that it’s been done behind black curtains.
‘Her revelation is very important, for it lets people get a glimpse of the real life of China’s highest leaders, their excessive abuse of power, corruption and their fear behind a moral façade wrapped in power.’