By Karolos Grohmann
BEIJING (Reuters) – The Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) will proceed with a gathering with former world primary doubles tennis participant Peng Shuai through the Beijing Winter Olympics however particulars of the assembly won’t be shared upfront, it mentioned on Sunday.
The well-being of Peng, a three-time Olympian, turned a matter of concern in November when she appeared to allege on social media {that a} former Chinese language vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her up to now.
“We now have all the time mentioned there might be a gathering together with her and there have been a sequence of calls main as much as this second,” IOC spokesperson Mark Adams mentioned.
“That has not modified. Because the IOC President so eloquently mentioned we are going to speak together with her and it’s as much as her to say what might be mentioned. I can’t be giving any extra particulars on that.”
Peng mentioned in December she had by no means accused anybody of sexually assaulting her and that the put up she made had been misunderstood. Zhang has not commented on the matter.
Forward of the Beijing Video games, the IOC held a number of video calls together with her and had introduced a face-to-face assembly through the Feb. 4-20 Video games.
It was not clear whether or not IOC President Thomas Bach would meet with Peng in one of many competitors venues or some place else in Beijing.
“We wouldn’t be giving a schedule the place and if she might or is probably not watching (sports activities). We don’t assume it’s very best to be mentioned at that stage.”
“When we now have info we really feel we’re in a position to share we are going to achieve this,” Adams mentioned
The IOC has additionally mentioned it might help her if she wished her allegations to be investigated.
Regardless of these contacts and a handful of movies from Peng, worldwide issues over her security and well-being haven’t been allayed and the Ladies’s Tennis Affiliation (WTA) has suspended tournaments in China.
China has in a roundabout way commented on Peng’s preliminary put up however mentioned after the WTA’s transfer that it “opposes the politicisation of sports activities”.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Enhancing by Himani Sarkar)
Supply: KFGO
