IOC may take harder line against China after tennis star goes missing: member
Global News
"If that's not resolved in a sensible way very soon it may spin out of control," said IOC's longest-serving member, Dick Pound. "It may (force IOC into taking a harder line)."
With concern over the safety of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai growing into a global cause, the International Olympic Committee could be pushed into taking a hard line with the 2022 Beijing Olympic hosts, senior IOC member Dick Pound told Reuters.
Former doubles world number one Peng has not been seen or heard from publicly since she said on Chinese social media on Nov. 2 that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship.
Such is the global outcry over Peng’s safety and whereabouts, Pound said the situation could force the IOC to confront China over its human rights record.
Although the outrage is unlikely to stop the Beijing Winter Games going ahead in February, Pound would not completely rule it out.
“If that’s not resolved in a sensible way very soon it may spin out of control,” Pound, the IOC’s longest-serving member, told Reuters. “It may (force IOC into taking a harder line).
“Whether that escalates to a cessation of the Olympic Games I doubt it. But you never know.”
Neither Zhang nor the Chinese government has commented on Peng’s allegation. The 35-year-old tennis player’s social media post was quickly deleted and the topic has been blocked from discussion on China’s heavily censored internet.
The governing body of women’s tennis (WTA) has called for an investigation and has threatened to pull tournaments worth tens of millions of dollars out of China.