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Coventry meet 'missing' Chinese Tennis star

 


Peng Shuai 

Staff Writer

Zimbabwe`s Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation Kirsty Coventry yesterday met with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai whose name was being abused by Western media to spite China.
Peng Shuai, considered to be one of the best tennis players ever to emerge from the Asian country disappeared from the public last year in October, after a long post on social network Weibo, in which she alleged sexual abuse at the hands of Zhang Goali, China`s retired Vice Premier.

 

The disappearance saw the World Tennis Association, banning China from all activities.
Other sports bodies like the International Tennis Federation and the International Olympic Committee also raised concerned over Peng`s silence.
However, in December, Peng wrote to the WTA, saying everything is fine.
She has gone on to appear at several events and has given French Sports Magazine L’Equippe an interview in which she said the alleged sexual assault did not happen.
Despite her saying the incident was one ‘misunderstanding,’ Western media has insisted on ignoring the latest development, in what has led observers to believe that Peng is now a pawn in the West`s regular aggression towards China.
In global sports administration, she has only spoken to Minister Coventry, a senior member of the International Olympic Committee and the President of the IOC Thomas Bach.
In a statement, released today, the IOC said Coventry, Bach and Peng had dinner in Beijing.
“Peng Shuai informed the President that she would attend several events at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 over the coming days. Later that evening,  she and Kirsty Coventry attended the mixed curling match between China and Norway,” the IOC said.
According to the advisory from IOC, the three spoke about their common experience as athletes at the Olympic Games, and Peng Shuai spoke of her disappointment at not being able to qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. 
“Kirsty Coventry and Peng Shuai also agreed that they would remain in contact.  And all three agreed that any further communication about the content of the meeting would be left to her discretion,” the IOC said.
Peng has since refuted claims that she was abused by Zhang, the country`s former Vice Premier.
She told L’Equippe that she disappeared from the scene because she had too many commitments to focus on.
Peng has also announced her retirement from international tennis with immediate effect.


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