The body that takes over the women’s tennis requires proof of the tennis player’s life so as not to close deals with the Asian country.
The disappearance of Chinese tennis player Shuai Peng has led the WTA, which coordinates women’s tennis around the world, to threaten to remove all tournaments from the calendar set for China in 2022. Peng is missing because he filed a sexual harassment complaint. Former Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli.
A chain reaction has been triggered in the sports world after the 35-year-old athlete, world doubles ranking leader and top 20 in singles, went missing. Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and many other tennis players performed, as well as Barcelona defender Gerard Pique. Athletes used their social media to ask China for proof of Peng’s life. Amnesty International has also accused the Chinese government.
The WTA was the first sports entity to publicly promise sanctions against China. According to the Australian daily Sydney Morning Herald, the organization says the matter is “above business”. China tops the women’s tennis calendar. In 2019, the circuit’s last “full” season before the pandemic, nine tournaments were played in the country. The United States, with eight competitions, is the second most frequented country on the calendar.
“If anyone wants to question our tenacity behind such a claim, they certainly can. We are working on our relationship with China,” WTA Chief Executive Steve Simon said in a statement posted on social media. are at a crossroads in relations and are conducting their business there.
In an interview with CNN News Network, the executive went ahead and said that women should be respected.
“Too often, in our world today, we end up getting into issues like this, where we see business, politics, money dictate right and wrong. It is very important that the voice of women is respected,” Simon said.
The discussions take place less than three months before the Winter Olympics to be played in Beijing. On social networks, there were already several movements for sponsors to boycott the games. Shuai Peng’s case has sparked debate again.
