European Union wants 'verifiable proof' on tennis player Peng Shuai's safety

Peng Shuai, a three-time Olympian and former top ranked doubles player disappeared from public view earlier this month after accusing a former Communist Party official of sexual assault.

Peng adds to a growing number of Chinese businesspeople, activists and ordinary people who have disappeared from public view. (Image Credit: Twitter)
By Sreejith C R | Dec 1, 2021 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

The European Union wants China to release ‘verifiable proof’ that tennis player Peng Shuai is safe and to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into her sexual assault allegation. The three-time Olympian and former top ranked doubles player disappeared from public view earlier this month after accusing a former Communist Party official of sexual assault. After the incident, she has had very few direct contacts with officials outside China. On November 21, she told Olympic officials in a video call from Beijing that she was safe and well.

“Her recent public reappearance does not ease concerns about her safety and freedom,” an EU spokesperson said.

“The EU joins growing international demands, including by sports professionals, for assurances that she is free and not under threat,” the EU said in a statement.

“In this spirit, the EU requests the Chinese government to provide verifiable proof of Peng Shuai’s safety, well-being, and whereabouts. The EU urges the Chinese authorities to conduct a full, fair and transparent investigation into her allegations of sexual assault,” the EU said in a statement.

EU strongly opposes arbitrary detention

“The EU strongly opposes the use of the practice of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention…and calls upon China to comply with its human rights obligations under national and international law,” the EU said. 

Peng, one of China’s greatest tennis players, on November 2, made a sexual assault allegation against a former member of the Communist Party’s ruling standing committee, Zhang Gaoli via a Weibo post and since then she hasn’t been publicly heard.

The post was taken down by China’s censors but still went viral. Subsequent posts and reactions, even keywords such as “tennis” also appeared to be blocked and numerous references about Peng were scrubbed from China’s internet.





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