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A spokesperson for Human Rights in China invitations to not imagine within the alleged letter, and Serena Williams asks to not stay silent within the case.
The world of sports activities, and particularly tennis, was paralyzed after the disappearance of former Chinese language ex-tennis participant Peng Shuai, simply two weeks after sharing a message on social networks to accuse Zhang Gaoli, former vice chairman of the Chinese language authorities, of sexual abuse.
This message was printed on November 2, 2021, and minutes later was faraway from the Weibo platform, which is taken into account the equal of Twitter in China. Since that date, her whereabouts have been unknown.
On Wednesday, November 17, a tv community, linked to the Chinese language authorities, printed an alleged message written in an electronic mail, by which it assures that it’s properly and resting at dwelling. Nevertheless, removed from projecting tranquility, the e-mail feeds doubts since numerous authorities contemplate that Peng Shuai didn’t really write the message.
The doubts lie with the presence of the edit cursor within the third line of the textual content. “It’s arduous to imagine that Peng Shuai really wrote the e-mail,” mentioned Steve Simon, government director of the WTA, who assured that he has tried to contact the participant by way of completely different means with out getting a response.
Human Rights doesn’t imagine the letter
The lawyer for the group of Human Rights Defenders in China insisted to not imagine within the message of the e-mail, no matter whether or not Peng Shuai wrote it or not, taking into consideration the background of the Chinese language authorities.
“The Chinese language authorities has a protracted historical past of arbitrarily arresting folks concerned in controversial circumstances, controlling their means to talk freely and inflicting them to emit essentially communicated,” he mentioned.
Concern within the tennis world for Peng Shuai
One of many first tennis gamers to talk out concerning the scenario was the Japanese Naomi Osaka: “Censorship is rarely okay in any respect prices, I hope Peng Shuai and her household are secure and properly. I’m in shock on the present scenario, and I’m sending him love and lighting her manner,” she mentioned.
All through the hours, different tennis gamers have expressed their concern for the previous Chinese language tennis participant, together with Serena Williams, who requested to not stay silent on this case, whereas demanding that the scenario be investigated.
“I’m devastated and shocked to listen to the information of my associate Peng Shuai. I hope she is secure and that they discover her as quickly as doable. This should be investigated, and we should not stay silent. Sending like to her and her household throughout this extremely troublesome time,” she mentioned on social media.
Solidarity, nevertheless, comes not solely from feminine tennis gamers but additionally from ATP gamers, comparable to Germany’s Alexander Zverev. “I hope they discover it quickly, as a result of we aren’t speaking a few tennis match or a contest, however about human life.”
The Worldwide Olympic Committee issued a passive stance to not get entangled within the matter, arguing that the case must be investigated in a discreet method. “Expertise reveals {that a} discreet diplomacy is what presents the very best likelihood of discovering an answer to problems with this nature,” she mentioned by way of a spokesman.
China’s tennis enterprise in jeopardy
One of many points with which the WTA exerts stress to seek out Peng Shuai is the exit of the 11 tournaments that it holds in Chinese language territory every year, which has an influence on the financial challenge.
Nevertheless, Steve Simon clarified that the WTA is keen to soak up the financial influence in favor of its gamers, so that they demand an accurate investigation within the case, and if not, they may contemplate that there are not any ensures to hold out their tournaments in China in years to come back, in accordance with ESPN.
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