Peng Shuai: ITF 'does not want to punish a billion people' by suspending China tournaments

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) introduced an instantaneous suspension of all tournaments in China, together with Hong Kong, in response to Beijing's silencing of Chinese tennis participant Peng Shuai's sexual assault allegations. The ITF -- which organizes grand slam occasions, annual workforce competitions for males, ladies and combined groups and sanctions main tournaments -- has been dealing with calls to do the identical.

David Haggerty, president of the ITF advised BBC Sport that the governing physique "stand[s] in support of all women's rights," including that the ITF "continue to work behind the scenes and directly to bring this to resolution."

"But you have to remember that the ITF is the governing body of the sport worldwide, and one of the things that we are responsible for is grassroots development," he stated."We don't want to punish a billion people, so we will continue to run our junior events in the country and our senior events that are there for the time being," he added.CNN has reached out to the ITF for additional remark.

Who has spoken to Peng Shuai?

WTA chairman and CEO Steve Simon stated final week that whereas the WTA now is aware of the place Peng is, he had "serious doubts that she is free, safe, and not subject to censorship, coercion, and intimidation."The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says it has held two calls with Peng.According to the Olympic group, IOC President Thomas Bach held a 30-minute video name with three-time Olympian Peng, alongside a Chinese sports activities official and an extra IOC consultant on November 21.

Last week, the IOC held a second name with Peng and stated that the Chinese tennis star "reconfirmed" that she was secure and nicely given the "difficult situation" she is in.On Thursday, a WTA spokeswoman advised CNN it had obtained a new e-mail from Peng -- the third e-mail it says it has had from her.Citing a "confirmed source" in a Twitter publish Thursday, Chinese state media-affiliated reporter Shen Shiwei stated that the e-mail from Shuai "expressed her shock for WTA's unfair decision to suspend all tournaments in China."Reacting to this newest e-mail, a WTA spokeswoman stated that the group stands by its determination to droop tournaments within the nation.

"Basically, lots of people around the world were looking to see what happened to Peng Shuai and nobody was able to establish contact," he stated."Only the IOC was ready to achieve this, and there was a dialog that was held by video with Thomas Bach, who's an older Olympian, and two youthful feminine IOC members. Nobody's launched the video as a result of I suppose that facet of it was personal."They found her in good health and in good spirits and they saw no evidence of confinement or anything like that."Pound added that he has not seen a recording of the video name, however is "simply relying on the combined judgment of the three IOC members who were on the call."Chinese authorities have not acknowledged Peng's allegations towards Zhang and there's no indication an investigation is underway.Zhang has saved a low profile and pale from public life since his retirement in 2018, and there's no public data relating to his present whereabouts.Before retiring as vice premier, Zhang was the top of a Chinese authorities working group for the Beijing Games. In the function, he inspected venues, visited athletes, unveiled official emblems and held conferences to coordinate preparation work.Zhang beforehand met with IOC President Bach on at the least one event, with the 2 being photographed collectively shaking fingers within the Chinese capital in 2016.It stays unclear if Peng has reported her allegations to the police.At a information convention on December 2, responding to a query in regards to the WTA's withdrawal, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "China has always been firmly opposed to any act that politicizes sports."