INTERNATIONAL: Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said on Sunday that she had never accused anyone of sexually assaulting her, and that a social media post she had made early last month had been misunderstood.
Peng's well-being became a matter of concern among the global tennis community and rights groups when she appeared to allege that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past. After that post, she was absent from public view for nearly three weeks.
On 2 November Ms Peng posted a 1,600-word note on Weibo addressed to Mr Zhang, claiming they had a romantic relationship and that he had also coerced her into having sex.
The post was swiftly scrubbed from Weibo, but not before it quickly went viral.
Ms Peng then vanished from public life for weeks, sparking concern worldwide about her safety. A #WhereisPengShuai campaign was launched, fuelled by calls from other tennis stars including Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic.
The Women’s Tennis Association has lead calls for an investigation into her initial claims.
Chinese state media subsequently published pictures of her and carried a widely questioned e-mail that she purportedly wrote to the WTA where she said "everything is fine".
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) also spoke to Ms Peng twice in video calls in which she reportedly said she was safe and well.
But many continue to believe the tennis star is under state duress and is being censored.
Peng's remarks on Sunday marked the first time she had addressed the matter on camera in public. She spoke on the sidelines of a cross-country skiing event in Shanghai.
Peng said in the video posted by Lianhe Zaobao, a Singapore media outlet: "First, I need to stress one point that is extremely important, I have never said or written that anyone has sexually assaulted me, I have to clearly stress this point,"
She said that her post on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media site, which had been quickly removed, was a "private matter." Peng, of 35 years-old, said in the video that "people have many misunderstandings" about her Weibo post. She did not elaborate. She also said she had been living at home in Beijing without supervision. In the video, she was not asked about Zhang and did not mention him.
