Amidst all the global conspiracies concerning world powers, politics, and even sports, one particular story gripped the world late last year that remains mysterious to this day. Thirty-five-year-old Chinese tennis star and former world number 1 in women's doubles Peng Shuai shook the tennis community on the 2nd of November 2021 with a disturbing post via the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
The tennis star shared what many tagged as her #MeToo post (though Peng Shuai did not use the tagline in her long seven-part post) and alleged sexual assault at the hands of a high Chinese government official, former Chinese vice-premier Zhang Gaoli.
Within twenty minutes of sharing her post, it disappeared from public view, and for weeks, so did Peng Shuai.
Cryptic post and sudden disappearance
To many tennis fans in China, Peng Shuai was a household name. She had won titles at the WTA doubles, WTA 125K Series doubles, and the ITF Circuit in 2019—her last year as a pro. She is also a women's doubles titleholder with Taiwanese partner Hsieh Su-Wei at Wimbledon 2013, the French Open in 2014, not to mention being a three-time Summer Games Olympian.
With a career that spans nearly two decades, the Chinese tennis star became the subject of global praise. Peng Shuai's star is the reason why everyone in the tennis world was surprised when she suddenly vanished from the international tennis scene.
In her now-deleted Weibo post, the tennis star shared how a high-ranking official pressured her into engaging in sexual relations with him, noting that she cried tears of desperation but eventually gave in due to helplessness.
Immediately after accusing Chinese official Zhang Gaoli of sexual coercion and pressure that allegedly began three years prior, Peng Shuai's account disappeared from the view of over half a million of her followers. Worried fans tried searching for any means of contact with the tennis star. Still, most search terms relating to her disappearance, including her name, generated restricted results on the highly-regulated Chinese digital space.
Others turned to the online platform Wayback Machine, which gives internet users a glimpse of recently deleted posts before they completely disappeared from social media timelines. Peng Shuai's fans noticed that six of her recent posts were deleted, with her last post on the platform made on the 2nd of November.
Peng Shuai went missing for three weeks, only to return to the spotlight looking less like a champion and more like a subdued captive.
Growing concerns
More concerns grew about Peng Shuai's well being with her sudden disappearance from the tennis world. However, on the 22nd of November, a Weibo post from the French Embassy came through seeking more information from the Chinese government about Peng Shuai's whereabouts. The post garnered many replies, but it was apparent that the comment section was heavily censored.
Soon enough, more and more international tennis players became outspoken about the strict treatment that the Chinese government was imposing on their national players. The media also scrutinized the country in 2020 after the government censored former Chinese international footballer, Hao Haidong, and his wife, former badminton player, Ye Zhaoying. They were outspoken opposition personalities that pushed for the removal of China's ruling Communist Party.
Novak Djokovic, who is no stranger to recent controversies, expressed his support for the Women's Tennis Association's (WTA) stand to suspend matches in China and Hong Kong starting December 2021 due to the incident. Tennis legends Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova likewise called for more investigative action from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the issue.
Meanwhile, rising Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka further spread #WhereIsPengShuai on Twitter on the 16th of November. American champion Serena Williams expressed her concerns about the Chinese tennis star while urging concerned parties not to stay silent. Both tweets drew more international attention to the plight of Peng Shuai.
A new Peng Shuai
By the 17th of November, media outlet CGTN Europe posted a tweet that contained an excerpt of an alleged email from Peng Shuai to WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon. The gist of the post was that Peng Shuai did not consent to recent news posted on the WTA site and that she never accused former Chinese premier Zhang Gaoli of any wrongdoing. The email went on to claim that the Chinese tennis star was well and resting at home.
However, as some had previously expected, the chance of Peng Shuai resurfacing online and in the media would probably add more mystery than clarity to the entire situation.
Two days later, supposed WeChat posts and photos of Peng Shuai at home playing with her cat and stuffed dolls appeared on Chinese journalist Shen Shiwei's Twitter feed. The next day, another video tweet circulated on social media showing the tennis star out celebrating with friends as she flashed a peace sign. By the 21st of November, 19 days after her alleged disappearance, Peng Shuai finally appeared in public at the Junior Tennis Finals in Beijing.
More Peng Shuai public appearances emerged online, notably a photo of the champion attending an interview and leaving many to speculate about her wellbeing. The photo showed Peng Shuai posing for the camera with a mirror that reflected what appeared to be a Chinese official standing in the back keeping close guard.
The ripple effect
Regardless of how the tennis star assured fans and officials of her health and safety, a ripple effect in shades of propaganda, doubt, and vigilance soon followed around the tennis world.
On the 7th of December, with the White House expressing concerns about Peng Shuai's issue and its lack of investigation, the Biden administration announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in China.
On the part of the WTA, Simon told reporters that he cannot, in good conscience, allow WTA players to participate in competitions scheduled in China. He said there are still strong doubts about Peng Shuai's actual conditions and how she seems prohibited from communicating freely and clarifying her initial allegations.
Of course, the WTA decision to suspend tennis matches in the country drew the ire of the Chinese Tennis Association officials who called it ‘an action that politicizes the sport of tennis.'
However, the WTA continues to take a firm stand on its decision despite being poised to lose millions in profit from a significant China market. Simon added that he could only imagine what Peng Shuai is currently going through and that he hopes the tennis star does not blame herself for such developments in the WTA.
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