WTA “suspends tournaments in China” over Peng Shuai affair

The WTA on Wednesday announced the suspension of women’s tennis tournaments in China, in support of player Peng Shuai who accused a former top Communist leader of her country of sexual abuse. In a particularly virulent statement, WTA President Steve Simon announced a strong measure of his authority and called on the “world leaders“to follow him.

“I am announcing the immediate suspension of all WTA tournaments in China, including Hong Kong. In good conscience, I don’t see how I can ask our athletes to participate in tournaments when Peng Shuai is not allowed to communicate freely and has apparently been pressured to reverse his allegations. sexual abuse“writes Steve Simon.”In view of the current situation, I am also very worried about the risks that all our players and our staff would take if we organize tournaments in China in 2022 (…) The leaders of China have left no choice to the WTANo WTA tournament was planned before the end of the year, and the 2022 schedule has yet to be released.

Call to leaders

During the 2019 season, the last not to have been impacted by the Covid-19, 10 tournaments were organized in China, including the end-of-year women’s Masters which, with $ 14 million, had been better endowed financially. than their male counterparts. “The WTA will do everything possible to protect its players, insists Simon. Along with us, I hope world leaders will continue to stand up for justice for Peng and all women, regardless of the financial consequences.s. “

Peng Shuai, 35, disappeared a few days in November after posting a long message on Chinese social network Weibo in which she accused ex-Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli, 40 years her senior and since retired, of the having sexually abused before making her his mistress. Many stars of world tennis, from Chris Evert to Novak Djokovic, and several Western countries, notably France and the United States, but also the European Union and the UN, have asked in diplomatic terms in Beijing to shed light. on the fate of Peng Shuai. The young woman reappeared on November 21 in a restaurant in Beijing and during a tennis tournament held in the Chinese capital, according to videos published by official media.

She also said during a video conference with the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, being “safe and sound at his home in Beijing“but that”would like his privacy to be respectedChinese Olympic Committee member Li Lingwei participated in the video conference.Even though we now know where Peng is, I have serious doubts that she is free, safe, and not subject to censorship, coercion or intimidation.“, says Steve Simon on Wednesday.”Chinese leaders have had opportunities to lift censorship, verifiably prove that Peng is free and able to speak out without outside interference or intimidation, and to conduct a full, fair and transparent investigation into his accusations of abuse. sexual, “he adds, regretting that Beijing has not”acted credibly“.

Beijing’s only official reaction to date has been an appeal on November 23 by Chinese diplomacy spokesman Zhao Lijian to “stop deliberately blaming this issue for hostile ends, and above all turning it into a political issue“.”None of this is and never will be. If the powerful can suppress women’s voices and sweep accusations of sexual abuse under the rug, then the foundation upon which the WTA is built – equality for women – would be greatly shaken. I can’t let this happen to the players and I won’t let it“, insists Steve Simon.

Among the first to react to this decision by the president of the WTA, the Czech Petra Kvitova tweeted an emoji in the form of applause, while the French Alizé Cornet tweeted “What a leader!”. On the men’s side, Andy Roddick also spoke out, highlighting the risk taken by the WTA boss: “Doing well is much easier when it costs nothing. RespectThe International Federation (ITF) underlined the righteousness of the WTA in a short statement to AFP: “The WTA has stood firm and true to its values ​​from the start and we understand their decision. We will continue to monitor the situation closely. ”