Due to the unclear situation around the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai For the time being, the WTA will no longer host tournaments in China and Hong Kong. Steve Simon, head of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) world tour, announced this on Wednesday while repeatedly expressing concern for Peng: “I don’t see how I can ask our athletes to compete there with a clear conscience, if Peng Shuai is not allowed to communicate freely and was apparently pressured to contradict her sexual assault allegations, ”wrote Simon.
He said he was very concerned about the risks players and staff could be exposed to if events were held in China in 2022. The WTA had no other choice. Still, he hoped that the Chinese authorities would do everything possible to legitimately address this problem, saying, “I am very sorry that it has come to this.”
A post by Peng Shuai on social media caused a stir in early November. She released a statement that she was sexually abused by a top Chinese politician. Her post was then deleted. Athletes, politicians and human rights activists expressed their concern for the tennis player’s well-being.
China is a major sponsor of the Ladies Tour with a number of events. The case is becoming even more explosive due to the upcoming Winter Games in Beijing in February and the ongoing criticism of the host country.
