PENG SHUAI HAS described reports she accused a high-ranking Chinese official of sexual assault as a “huge misunderstanding” as she repeated her denial the alleged incident ever took place.
The former doubles world number one said in a social media post in November that she was forced to have sex with former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli. Her post was swiftly deleted and her subsequent silence raised fears over her safety.
In an interview published on Monday with the French newspaper L’Equipe, during which she was accompanied by Chinese Olympic Committee chief of staff Wang Kan who translated her responses, Peng insisted she had been unaware of the global concern.
The interview was released at the same time as a statement by the International Olympic Committee, which confirmed Peng had had dinner on Saturday with its president Thomas Bach and the former chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, Kirsty Coventry.
IOC statement on meeting with Peng Shuaihttps://t.co/Nc7RfNNAeS
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) February 7, 2022
In the interview with L’Equipe, Peng said: “I never said anyone had sexually assaulted me in any way.
“There was a huge misunderstanding in the outside world following this post. I don’t want the meaning of this post to be twisted anymore. And I don’t want any further media hype around it.
“I never disappeared. Everyone could see me. I never disappeared. It’s just that many people, like my friends or people from the IOC messaged me, and it was simply impossible to answer so many messages. But I’ve been always in close contact with my close friends.”
Peng’s predicament sparked a global call for transparency led by the Women’s Tennis Association, which announced in December the suspension of all tournaments in China due to its dissatisfaction with the response to the allegation from the Chinese authorities.
Bach was criticised for steering the IOC down a less confrontational approach, instead pursuing a meeting with Peng, the details of which the organisation said would only be released at Peng’s discretion.
Peng attended Monday’s mixed curling match between China and Norway and, according to the IOC, stated her intention to attend more events at the Winter Olympics over the next two weeks. She also accepted an invitation to visit IOC headquarters in Lausanne.
The IOC said: “During the dinner, the three spoke about their common experience as athletes at the Olympic Games, and Peng Shuai spoke of her disappointment at not being able to qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
“In this context, she also shared her intention to travel to Europe when the Covid-19 pandemic is over, and the IOC president invited her to Lausanne to visit the IOC and The Olympic Museum, to continue the conversation on their Olympic experiences. Peng Shuai accepted this invitation.”
So, she comes straight out yet again and asks for the meaning of her post not to be twisted by the international media anymore. Yet, the article repeats the false claim/deliberate mistranslation that she was forced to have sex with him – it’s like the person writing this article completely ignored what she said… Stop using this lady as a political football – this is beyond abusive.
@Kerrill Thornhill: her original message clearly says that she told him she didn’t want to have sex with him, and he still forced her into it. To sum it up, she said she was forced to have sex with him, and now it would seem she is forced to say she never meant what she said in the post. Every environment where she speaks to the press, every public appearance, and the people she is allowed to speak to is carefully managed. And you are defending that. Just like you defended O’Halloran being held hostage in the country despite not having done anything wrong.
@Joe Vlogs: it does not
@Joe Vlogs: I never said any such thing about O’Halloran; you’re making things up just like the journalist who came up with the laughable and abusive #whereispengshuai hashtag. Are you capable of reading this ladies’ words? Do you just refuse to believe what she is saying? Are you that racist that you think Chinese people have no free will?
@Kerrill Thornhill: “I completely couldn’t imagine it would be like this, with someone guarding the door
…
That afternoon, I did not agree from the start, and I was crying the whole time. I ate dinner with you and Aunt Kang Jie. You said the universe is very, very big, and the earth is merely a grain of sand in the universe. We humans are not even a grain of sand. You said many, many things, just to let me put down my thoughts and burdens. After dinner, I was still not willing. You said you hated me! And you also said that in the past seven years, you had never forgotten me, and you would treat me well, and so on. …I was afraid, and panicked, and carrying the feelings I had for you seven years before, I agreed. …Yes, it’s just that we had sexual relations.”
@Joe Vlogs: I can’t post the whole extract (800 word limit), but frankly, if you think coercion on a woman who says she was afraid, etc., implies free will, then you sir really need to go to some consent classes.
Full translation available here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/tennis/comments/qmn69a/full_translation_of_peng_shuais_weibo_post/
@Kerrill Thornhill: literally posts that she is raped, post gets deletes and she goes missing. Comes out in public surround by officials, of an abusive, controlling regime, and says that its a misunderstanding. And you believe it?? Come on. I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything better form someone who defends concentration camps. And before you say you didn’t, you did. Referring to them as “education camps”.
@Kerrill Thornhill: free will-“ the ability to act at one’s own discretion “. Yeh China is all about this. And promoting the racist line again I see- being against the CCP does not make one inherently racist
@Joe Vlogs: There are mistranslations, which is exactly the problem – she repeatedly asked people to stop misinterpeting her words – but you’re doing it again here regardless! This is the full translation: https://tennistonic.com/tennis-news/378115/no-assault-according-to-translation-shuai-peng-was-in-consensual-relationship-with-former-chinese-vice-premier-zhang-gaoli/
There is NO reference to rape or sexual assault in her post – there is a reference to initial pressure/ coercion, which is the root of the misinterpretation, the sexual relationship came later. She then had a 7-year consensual relationship with this guy. She never said anything about rape/sexual assault, but you won’t believe her and are using her as a political football. Why do you refuse to believe her?
@Tomás Barrett: Her original post categorically does NOT say she was raped. She specifically asked people to stop twisting her words, but here we go again – did you listen to what she said today?
@Kerrill Thornhill: even in your “correct” translation, she clearly says she was afraid, she was not willing to have sex (and repeatedly said so), and that there was a guard outside the door. Sorry, but if someone is not willing to have sex, but is coerced into it, that is not consensual in my book. It doesn’t matter if they were once in a relationship, etc.. Again, I really think some classes on consent would do you the world of good.
@Kerrill Thornhill: imagine shilling for the Chinese dictatorship. Shame on you
@Kerrill Thornhill: China AI bot for sure.
@Kerrill Thornhill: it also mentions being afraid, brought to a house, brought to a room with a guard outside, having no evidence or video evidence. Why would she mention having no evidence? This may not be rape but it was certainly manipulation and borderline coercion (rape), almost akin to rape within marriage. Why was the post deleted? They certainly got to her and the Politburo certainly hauled her in for some political reeducation.
@David Bishop: Hi David, believe it or not, I’m trying to ‘shill’ on behalf of reality and equality. Peng Shuai was used by Western media as a political football to try to create a boycott of the olympic games – there is absolutely no concern for her welfare, quite the opposite. She’s made herself very clear now – but you just refuse to listen and prefer the racist fantasy that Chinese people have no free will
@GrumpyAulFella: She deleted her post because she wants her private life to remain private, just like she has said time and again. But it appears no one wants to listen to her
@Kerrill Thornhill: you need to watch this and learn :
https://youtu.be/pZwvrxVavnQ
@David Abbott: How can you seriously lecture someone on consent while refusing to acknowledge what she is saying! You are trying to mansplain consent while treating her like she can not speak for herself! Stop using this woman to justify your racism towards Chinese people and read up on toxic masculinity. This is her own personal business – leave her alone, she is not your plaything to project your fantasies on
@Kerrill Thornhill: How is he “mansplaining”? Did he send the consent video to Peng Shuai?
@Kerrill Thornhill: she wants her private life to remain private yet posted intimate details about her encounters with a former Vice-premier to millions around the world. Does that sound like the actions of somebody who wishes to remain private? I think you’re referring to a Politburo gagging order. She’s been brought to the Electric Co for some re-education.
@GrumpyAulFella: “I never said anyone sexually assaulted me,” Peng told L’Équipe. “My private life should not be brought up in sports and politics.”
- She’s being really, really clear, but you refuse listen
@Kerrill Thornhill: but she was Gaoli’s plaything
@Kerrill Thornhill: your dead right. The media was using this as a reason to boycott the olympics. It’s not like they had allegations of Genocide, concentration camps, human rights allegations, suppression of media, arresting of politician opponents and the suppression of democracy in Hong Kong, but ya they need this persons story to boycott the olympics.
@Cormac Flanagan: Key word ‘allegations’, fact free ‘allegations’ – if you can’t spot a coordinated propoganda blitz by now, you never will. The very countries that invented concentration camps, perfected genocide & mass media control are the ones making the allegations – while openly spending hundreds of millions of dollars on propoganda to ‘counter China’ – It’s as brazen as it gets. Why not report on the house full of kids killed in Syria last week instead of dredging this ladies personal life up again – it’s gross.
@Kerrill Thornhill: missed my point completely. My point is why would they run with this, according to you, made up story when they have all those other, again according to you made up, stories which are far more serious.
@Cormac Flanagan: I think it’s a more effective piece of propoganda because of the personal nature and vagueness of the claims – it also panders to western tropes about Chinese people being indoctrinated, with the CPC having control over the minutae of peoples personal lives.
Our tabloid media thrive on stories of a sexual nature – like how Matt Hancock in the UK had to resign for kissing his aide, but he got a free pass for handing a £36bn contract to his buddies. Same in US, you can get a good frenzy going if there is a sexual nature to the allegations – but blow up a building full of kids and people literally yawn and walk away disinterested.
@Kerrill Thornhill: Hey look it’s the weirdo Chinese bot again
@thomas walsh: Good to hear from you, you’re late starting your shift today! This is a really good video on Xinjiang, a charming, well-educated, open-minded person like youself should enjoy it: https://youtu.be/x1V68gu59HI
@Kerrill Thornhill: Check it out the Chinese bot posted a video of Winnie the Pooh
This is a very convoluted story .What’s true and what’s false heaven knows .I happen to be a big tennis fan and it’s sad that we will never see her play again .It’s a.huge setback too for women’s tennis because the Chinese were putting huge sums into the women’s tournaments held there .It so happens that no Chinese men have reached the standard but the women are doing great hence the women’s tour which of course was v.valuable for aspiring Chinese females .It’s a.bad sad situation all round
The media are so anxious to make a startling audience grabbing story that the public cannot be sure if anything is true or just desperate audience chasing. Sad.