Missing tennis star Peng Shuai reappeared in public on Sunday at a youth tournament in Beijing, according to photos released by the organiser, as the ruling Communist Party tried to quell fears abroad while suppressing information in China about Peng after she accused a senior leader of sexual assault.
The post by the China Open on the Weibo social media service made no mention of Peng’s disappearance or her accusation.
Peng was shown standing beside a court, waving and signing oversize commemorative tennis balls for children.
The appearance followed an announcement Saturday by the editor of a party newspaper on Twitter, which cannot be seen by most internet users in China, that the three-time Olympian would “show up in public” soon.
The ruling party appears to be trying to defuse alarm about Peng without acknowledging her disappearance, after the former Wimbledon and Paris Open champion this month accused Zhang Gaoli, a member of the party’s ruling Standing Committee until 2018, of forcing her to have sex.
Peng’s disappearance and the government’s silence in response to appeals for information prompted calls for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February, a prestige event for the Communist Party.
The women’s professional tour threatened to pull events out of China unless the safety of the former No. 1 doubles player was assured.
“Our primary concern is Peng Shuai’s safety and her wellbeing,” Dave Haggerty, International Tennis Federation president and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, said in a statement on Sunday.
“The videos of her this weekend appear to be a positive step, but we will continue to seek direct engagement and confirmation from Peng Shuai herself that she is safe and well.”
Discussion of Peng’s accusation has been deleted from websites in China.
#WhereIsPengShuai pic.twitter.com/t8SPCrqnMl
— wta (@WTA) November 18, 2021
A government spokesman on Friday denied knowing about the outcry.
The ruling party’s internet filters also block most people in China from seeing other social media abroad and most global news outlets.
Comments on Chinese social media on Sunday criticised the Women’s Tennis Association and others who spoke up about Peng, while comments in Chinese on Twitter poked fun at the awkward release of photos and video.
“When will the WTA get out of China?” said a comment on the Sina Weibo social media service, signed “Sleep Time”.
Peng adds to a growing number of Chinese businesspeople, activists and ordinary people who have disappeared in recent years after criticising party figures or in crackdowns on corruption or pro-democracy and labour rights campaigns.
Some re-emerge weeks or months later without explanation, suggesting they are warned not to disclose they were detained or the reason.
The editor of the party newspaper Global Times, Hu Xijin, wrote Saturday on Twitter that Peng “stayed in her own home freely” and would “show up in public and participate in some activities soon”.
A statement on the recent video of Peng Shuai posted by China state-run media 👇
— wta (@WTA) November 20, 2021
Tennis stars and the WTA have been unusually vocal in demanding information about Peng. Other companies and sports groups are reluctant to confront Beijing for fear of losing access to the Chinese market or other retaliation.
The ruling party has given no indication whether it is investigating Peng’s accusation against Gao, 75, who left the Standing Committee in 2018 and has largely disappeared from public life.
Even if Peng’s accusation is deemed valid, people in China often are jailed or face other penalties for embarrassing the party by publicising complaints about abuses instead of going through the secretive, often unresponsive official system.
The status of star athletes such as Peng is especially sensitive. State media celebrate their victories as proof the party is making China strong. But the party is vigilant about making sure they cannot use their prominence and public appeal to erode its image.
Steve Simon, the WTA’s chairman and chief executive, expressed concern for Peng’s safety after Hu posted two videos Saturday that appeared to show her in a restaurant.
“While it is positive to see her, it remains unclear if she is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own, without coercion or external interference. This video alone is insufficient,” Mr Simon said. ”Our relationship with China is at a crossroads.”
The IOC has remained quiet about the status of Peng, who competed in three Olympics, helping to contribute to the IOC’s multimillion-dollar revenue from broadcasting and sponsorships.
The Olympic body’s stated policy is “quiet diplomacy”. The IOC said on Saturday it would “continue our open dialogue on all levels with the Olympic movement in China”.
