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☆ Women’s tennis returns to China after Peng Shuai boycott
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) kicked off its first tournament in China in more than three years Monday, ending its boycott over the uncertain fate of tennis star Peng Shuai. Peng, a three-time Olympian and grand slam doubles champion, later denied having made the sexual assault claim. But despite the lack of such an investigation, Simon announced this April that the suspension, which he called a “principled stand,” would come to an end by September. The WTA had already pulled its tournaments in China in 2020 due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. Cornet had posted an Instagram story saying her season would only resume later in October, the newspaper said.

Persons: Peng Shuai, Peng, Zhang Gaoli, –, Zhang, Steve Simon, ”, Simon, ” Peng “, Alize Cornet, Cornet, ” Cornet Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Tennis Association, United, Communist, WTA, Guangzhou, Olympic, Beijing Winter Games, Human Rights Watch, Reuters Locations: China, Hong Kong, United Nations, Beijing, Ningbo

A four-year absence of elite women’s tennis in China is set to end with the Women's Tennis Association holding seven tournaments in the next six weeks as part of the tour's Asian swing. Political Cartoons View All 1163 ImagesIn doubles, Peng won major championships at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014. She won 23 WTA titles in doubles and two in singles and represented China at three Summer Olympics. The China Open, a WTA and ATP 1000 event, follows from Sept. 28 and will see 2023 U.S. Open finalist, Aryna Sabalenka, debut as the new world No. In October, the tour moves to the WTA 500 Zhengzhou Open and WTA 250 Hong Kong with both tournaments starting Oct. 9.

Persons: Peng Shuai’s, Peng, Zhang Gaoli, Steve Simon, “ We’ve, ”, There’s, Alize Cornet, ” Cornet, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, Sabalenka, — Organizations: Women's Tennis Association, WTA, Wimbledon, U.S, China Locations: China, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Jiangxi, Asia, Zhuhai

☆ Sexual harassment debate breathes new life into China’s #MeToo movement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Shi has strongly denied the accusations of sexual harassment in two separate statements and claimed the encounters were consensual. The falloutThe allegations have since sparked furious debate on Chinese social media, with related hashtags trending for days and racking up hundreds of millions of views on Weibo. China did not specify sexual harassment as a legal offense until 2021, when it enacted a civil code defining sexual harassment for the first time in the country’s law. But still, the failure of sexual harassment lawsuits – like Zhou’s – in recent years has made it “increasingly clear that seeking legal remedies for sexual harassment is not realistic,” said the Chinese feminist in New Jersey. “Even if I reported it, and he was summoned to the police station, how many days can he be detained for sexual harassment?” she wrote.

☆ WTA set to return to China in September despite uncertainty over Peng Shuai’s situation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Wayne Sterling | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced Thursday that it will return to hosting tournaments in China in the fall after suspending all events in the country in 2021 due to the uncertainty over tennis player Peng Shuai’s safety. Human Rights Watch called the WTA’s decision to return to China a “huge disappointment,” but “not surprising.”“International businesses need to work together to do the right thing,” said Yaqiu Wang, senior China Researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It’s hard to challenge the Chinese government alone, but if businesses band together to address China’s flouting of human rights, the power balance can shift. “After all, sports organizations and companies all want to operate in an environment where the human rights of their players, employees, and consumers are protected and there is rule of law. “The road to expose the Chinese government’s human rights abuses and hold it accountable is difficult and often incurs a cost, and it’s not a straight road.”

☆ WTA says return to China will require resolution to Peng case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Peng had accused Chinese former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault in 2021 in a post on social media that was soon removed from the country's internet. "There has not been any change in the WTA position on a return to China and we have only confirmed our 2023 calendar through U.S. Open," the WTA said in a statement. The WTA said it had received confirmation Peng was safe and comfortable but were yet to meet with her personally. "We continue to hold firm on our position and our thoughts remain with Peng," the statement added. In July last year, men's governing body ATP had cancelled its events in China due to the COVID-19 crisis in the country.

☆ China ex-official Zhang makes first appearance since sexual assault claim
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Chinese former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli made his first public appearance on Sunday since Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai accused him of sexual assault last year, attending the 20th Communist Party Congress. Her post led the Women's Tennis Association to suspend tournaments in China and caused an international outcry over her safety. Hu, 79, slightly unsteady but appearing healthy, followed immediately behind Xi onto the stage and sat next to Xi. Other retired leaders on the rostrum included other former members of the party's elite Standing Committee, which rules China, including Jia Qinglin and Zeng Qinghong. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Yew Lun Tian; Writing by Ben Blanchard and William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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