Beijing – Following the planned meeting between tennis player Peng Shuai and IOC chief Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee will only release details at the request of the Chinese woman.
“We respect her right to say what she wants, when she wants. It’s a very sensitive matter,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said in Beijing. The case of Peng Shuai has been stirring the world for several months after the 36-year-old posted allegations of sexual assault by a top Chinese politician on the Weibo social network in early November.
The post was deleted soon after. Since then, athletes, politicians and human rights activists have expressed concern for her well-being. Peng Shuai had later denied having made the allegations. However, her statements appeared contrived.
IOC President Bach had confirmed shortly before the opening of the Beijing Winter Games that he would meet with Peng Shuai during the Olympic days. Spokesman Adams would not confirm information that the former world number one in doubles had already arrived in the closed Corona bubble for the Games. He also did not comment on the question of whether Peng Shuai would also attend competitions with Bach.
“The meeting will take place. We will talk to her. She will decide what we announce about it afterwards,” Adams said. Bach had earlier said he was “very happy about it and also grateful to Peng Shuai” that the meeting would happen. He said it was important to respect Peng Shuai and to find out how she herself saw the situation. Whether there should be further investigations into the matter would have to be the tennis player’s decision.