Steve Simon tells US media that Peng’s wellbeing was ‘bigger than business’ and that ‘women need to be respected’
The Women’s Tennis Association is prepared to pull its tournaments out of China if there isn’t an adequate response to Peng Shuai’s allegation that she was sexually assaulted by China’s former vice premier, chief executive Steve Simon has told US media.
Peng, Chinese tennis star and former doubles world No.1, has not been seen in public since she accused the former high-ranking official, Zhang Gaoli, of sexual assault in a Weibo post that was deleted half an hour later. In the lengthy 2 November post, Peng alleged that Zhang had forced her into sex after inviting her to his house to play tennis with him and his wife three years ago. She also said she and Zhang had previously had an on-off consensual relationship.
