Tennis star Peng Shuai says there has been a “huge misunderstanding” over a Weibo post in which she claimed she was forced into having sexual relations with a former Chinese party leader
Shuai’s November 2021 social media post was swiftly deleted, but she then disappeared for weeks, sparking global concern about her safety and location.
But now, speaking to France’s L’Equipe newspaper, Shuai says she never alleged she suffered a sexual assault.
However, the interview was done in highly controlled circumstances in Beijing, leading some users on social media to say she was pressured.
British news outlet BBC compared the newspaper interview to a propaganda exercise, saying it left more questions than answers.
L’Equipe had to submit questions in advance, and the interview was conducted at the Winter Olympics under the presence of a representative from China’s Olympic Committee who also translated her comments from Chinese.
