BERLIN (REUTERS) – The Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) has held a second video name with doubles former world primary Peng Shuai amid issues concerning the Chinese language tennis participant’s wellbeing, the IOC mentioned in a press release on Thursday (Dec 2).
The IOC mentioned it held the decision, after having first talked to the participant on Nov 21, on Wednesday night Swiss time, simply earlier than the Girls’s Tennis Affiliation (WTA) introduced a direct suspension of all tournaments in China because of issues concerning the participant’s well-being.
“We share the identical concern as many different individuals and organisations concerning the wellbeing and security of Peng Shuai. That is why, simply yesterday, an IOC staff held one other video name together with her,” mentioned the IOC.
“We have now supplied her wide-ranging help, will keep in common contact together with her, and have already agreed on a private assembly in January,” it mentioned, including Peng gave the impression to be “protected and effectively given the tough scenario she is in.”
Beijing is internet hosting the 2022 winter Olympics in February.
The whereabouts of Peng, a three-time Olympian, grew to become a matter of worldwide concern following a virtually three-week public absence after she posted a message on social media in early November alleging that China’s former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her.
Neither Zhang, who retired in 2018, nor the Chinese language authorities have commented on Peng’s allegation and the subject has been blocked from direct dialogue on China’s closely censored web.
The choice by the United States-headquartered WTA to stroll away from one in every of its greatest markets was applauded by many main figures within the tennis world, although it may price it lots of of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in broadcasting and sponsorship income.