“I have by no means spoken or created about any individual sexually assaulting me,” Peng explained to Singapore-based mostly Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on Sunday, in her to start with responses to worldwide media because the explosive allegations arrived to gentle.
When asked if she has been in a position to transfer freely or was concerned about her security, Peng mentioned she has “constantly been no cost” and that she has been residing at her household in Beijing.
The job interview took position on the sidelines of the Global Ski Federation’s cross-state snowboarding competition in Shanghai on Sunday, wherever Peng was also photographed with Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming, and two former Olympians: sailor Xu Lijia and table tennis participant Wang Liqin.
“First of all, it is really my particular privateness. There probably has been a great deal of misunderstanding. Hence, there need to not be these kinds of distorted interpretation below,” she claimed.
According to screenshots of that article, the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion accused previous Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of pressuring her into owning sexual intercourse at his dwelling a few yrs ago.
Chinese authorities have not acknowledged the sexual assault allegations towards Zhang and dialogue of the matter continues to be censored in China.
In Sunday’s interview, Peng expressed her appreciation toward the IOC, stating she feels “incredibly grateful” to the Olympic body and was “incredibly satisfied to have video clip calls with them.”
A spokesperson for the WTA told CNN on Monday, “it was again great to see Peng Shuai in a general public placing and we surely hope she is undertaking well.
“As we have constantly said, these appearances do not alleviate or deal with the WTA’s sizeable fears about her well-remaining and capacity to connect devoid of censorship or coercion. We continue being steadfast in our connect with for a complete, good and clear investigation, devoid of censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the challenge that gave increase to our initial concern.”
CNN has regularly arrived at out for remark to both of those Peng and China’s State Council, which handles press inquires for the central government.
As vice leading, Zhang, 75, served on the party’s seven-particular person Politiburo Standing Committee — the country’s supreme management body — along with President Xi Jinping from 2012 to 2017.