“I have never spoken or written about anyone who has sexually abused me,” Peng told Singapore-based Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on Sunday, in her first comments to international media since the explosive allegations came to light.
Asked if she could move freely or was concerned for her safety, Peng said she has “always been free” and has lived in her home in Beijing.
The interview took place on Sunday on the sidelines of the International Ski Federation cross-country competition in Shanghai, where Peng was also photographed with Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming and two former Olympians, sailor Xu Lijia and table tennis player Wang Liqin.
“First of all, it’s my personal privacy. There may have been a lot of misunderstanding. That’s why there shouldn’t be such a distorted interpretation here,” she said.
According to screenshots from that post, the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion accused former Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli of pressuring her into having sex at his home three years ago.
The Chinese authorities have not acknowledged the sexual assault allegations against Zhang and the discussion on the subject continues to be censored in China.
In Sunday’s interview, Peng expressed her appreciation for the IOC, saying she is “very grateful” for the Olympic body and was “very happy to be video chatting with them”.
A WTA spokesperson told DailyExpertNews on Monday: “It was good to see Peng Shuai in a public setting again and we certainly hope she is well.
“As we have consistently stated, these appearances do not alleviate or dispel the WTA’s grave concerns about its well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion. We remain steadfast in our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, in her allegation of sexual assault, that is the issue that gave rise to our primary concern.”
DailyExpertNews has repeatedly solicited comments from both Peng and the Chinese State Council, which handles press inquiries for the central government.
As Deputy Prime Minister, Zhang, 75, served on the party’s seven-member Politiburo Committee, the country’s highest leadership body, from 2012 to 2017, along with President Xi Jinping.