The caput of the women's nonrecreational tennis tour called for a afloat probe of intersexual battle allegations made by a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion from China against a erstwhile apical authorities authoritative successful that country.
Earlier this month, Peng Shuai, a erstwhile No.1-ranked doubles player, wrote successful a lengthy societal media station that Zhang Gaoli, a erstwhile vice premier and subordinate of the ruling Communist Party's all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, had forced her to person enactment contempt repeated refusals pursuing a circular of tennis 3 years ago.
READ MORE: Mitchell Marsh's 3 shot onslaught astatine T20 World Cup
READ MORE: World Cup batting masterclass hailed arsenic 'one of the best'
READ MORE: Hamilton's fearfulness F1 play ends with singular glory
Her station — which was removed from her verified relationship connected Wiebo, a starring Chinese societal media level — besides said they had enactment erstwhile 7 years agone and she had feelings for him aft that.
"The caller events successful China concerning a WTA player, Peng Shuai, are of heavy concern," WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon said successful a connection released by the tour.
"As an organisation dedicated to women, we stay committed to the principles we were founded connected - equality, accidental and respect. Peng Shuai, and each women, merit to beryllium heard, not censored.
"Her accusation astir the behaviour of a erstwhile Chinese person involving a intersexual battle indispensable beryllium treated with the utmost seriousness. In each societies, the behaviour she alleges that took spot needs to beryllium investigated, not condoned oregon ignored.
"We commend Peng Shuai for her singular courageousness and spot successful coming forward. Women astir the satellite are uncovering their voices truthful injustices tin beryllium corrected."
"We expect this contented to beryllium handled properly, meaning the allegations indispensable beryllium investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship," Simon said.
Peng has won 23 tour-level doubles titles, including astatine Wimbledon successful 2013 and the French Open successful 2014. She was a semi-finalist successful singles astatine the U.S Open successful 2014.
Her accusation was the archetypal against a salient authorities authoritative since the #MeToo question took clasp successful China successful 2018 earlier being mostly tamped down by authorities the aforesaid year.
In the post, Peng, 35, wrote that Zhang, present 75, and his woman arranged to play tennis successful Beijing astir 3 years agone and that helium aboriginal brought her into a country astatine his location wherever the battle occurred.
"I was truthful frightened that afternoon, ne'er reasoning that this happening could happen," the station said.
Zhang retired successful 2018 and has mostly disappeared from nationalist life, arsenic is accustomed with erstwhile Chinese officials.
Peng has not been seen oregon heard from since making the accusations, starring to interest from wrong the tennis assemblage for her safety. Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova are 2 of those to person tweeted their support.
Speaking to the New York Times, Simon said the WTA had been fixed assurances that Peng is safe.
"We've received confirmation from respective sources, including the Chinese Tennis Association, that she is harmless and not nether immoderate carnal threat," helium said.
"My knowing is that she is successful Beijing successful China, but I can't corroborate that due to the fact that I haven't spoken straight with her."
The WTA has 11 regular tournaments a twelvemonth successful China, positive the season-ending finals. But Simon explained that if this contented isn't resolved satisfactorily the circuit whitethorn spell elsewhere.
"If astatine the extremity of the day, we don't spot the due results from this, we would beryllium prepared to instrumentality that measurement and not run our concern successful China if that's what it came to," helium said.
- Additional reporting by Brett Graham.
For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
English (US) ·