(FILES) This file photo taken on May 29, 2018 shows China's Peng Shuai hitting a return against Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic during their women's singles first round match on day three of the Roland Garros 2018 French Open tennis tournament in Paris. - Tennis stars threw their support behind the WTA's move to suspend its tournaments in China over concern for Peng Shuai, as calls grew on December 2, 2021 for other sports to follow suit. (Photo by Eric Feferberg / AFP)
BEIJING – Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has denied alleging that a senior Communist Party leader sexually assaulted her and insisted she is living freely, in her first media interview since her accusations triggered concerns for her safety.
However, the comments did not ease worries at the Women's Tennis Association, which said Monday that it still had "significant concerns about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion".
In a post last month on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform, Peng had alleged that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli – who is in his 70s – coerced her into sex during an on-off relationship spanning several years.
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said that she had never accused anyone of sexually assaulting her, and that a social media post she had made early last month had been misunderstood https://t.co/i4waJO8cPP pic.twitter.com/A3CKbQUFjz
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 19, 2021
In comments to Lianhe Zaobao, a Singaporean Chinese-language newspaper, Peng denied making the allegation.
"I would like to stress a very important point: I have never said nor written anything accusing anyone of sexually assaulting me," the 35-year-old said in footage apparently filmed on a phone at a sports event in Shanghai on Sunday.
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"I would like to emphasise this point very clearly."
The post was quickly scrubbed from the Chinese web, but not before screenshots were posted on Twitter, setting off a global outcry.
The former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion then disappeared from public appearances for around three weeks.
Peng Shuai confirms her Weibo post has been misunderstood and distorted as it's easy to understand when you read it. pic.twitter.com/lW8CmcZkJF
— IIINSULA 西遼 (@suidaila) December 19, 2021
The incident sparked international concern about her safety, including from the United Nations, the White House and fellow tennis stars.
In the Zaobao video, when asked about the Weibo statement, Peng did not deny the post but described it as a "private matter" that people had "many misunderstandings" about.
She did not elaborate.
In the video, a person is heard asking if she is able to move around freely and if she has been under surveillance since making the accusations.
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Peng responded that she has "always been very free".
The WTA said it was still not convinced of Peng's wellbeing.
"We remain steadfast in our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault," the organisation said in a statement emailed to AFP.
The WTA has suspended all tournaments in China, including Hong Kong, over concerns about Peng.
#BREAKING The Women's Tennis Association says Peng Shuai's latest appearance has not eased concerns about her, after a video emerged of the Chinese tennis star denying accusing anyone of sexual assault pic.twitter.com/g3vukNKfbp
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 20, 2021
The latest video follows images of Peng published by Chinese state media, including some of her at a tennis tournament.
They also published a screenshot of an e-mail Peng purportedly wrote to the Women's Tennis Association saying "everything is fine".
But that did little to ease worries.
WTA chief Steve Simon said at the time he had "a hard time believing" Peng's e-mail and questioned whether she was really free to speak openly.
In the latest video, dressed in a red T-shirt and dark down jacket, both with "China" emblazoned on them, Peng told Zaobao that the e-mail was legitimate and written "entirely of my own free will".
Hours earlier, unverified images posted online by a Chinese state-affiliated journalist showed Peng speaking with Yao and two other Chinese sports figures – Olympic sailing champion Xu Lijia and retired table tennis player Wang Liqin.
In Peng's original post in November – removed after about thirty minutes – she purportedly accused Zhang of pressuring her into sex, and wrote that she was "very scared" and "kept crying".
A complete English translation of Peng Shuai’s deleted post. We owe it to her to read her full story in her own words #WhereIsPengShuai pic.twitter.com/yGNkd07j6a
— delusional raducanu stan (@RaducanuIN) November 16, 2021
Peng reportedly claimed they then went on to have a relationship, which continued until Zhang stopped recently.
All discussion of Peng's claims have been quickly scrubbed from China's tightly-controlled Internet, and the foreign ministry has said the case was being "maliciously" hyped up.
AFP