IOC President Thomas Bach can’t avoid being asked about Peng Shuai and the difficulties presented by the IOC’s two video chats with her.
The calls were made to signal that Peng was safe despite his absence from public view since the three-time Olympic tennis star accused a senior Chinese official of sexual assault over six weeks ago.
The questions keep coming, even overshadowing the United States’, Britain’s, Canada’s, Australia’s, and Lithuania’s diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Peng’s position is “fragile,” according to Bach. He is in the midst of three days of executive board meetings in Switzerland, all of which are centered on the Games’ inauguration on February 4 in Beijing. However, Peng is the subject of many of the questions asked at the daily press conferences.
Bach stated on Wednesday, “You have to respect this human being.” “And in such a delicate circumstance as Peng Shuai’s, you must make every effort to create trust.” Involvement in a human connection And, as you may imagine, this is difficult in a video call.”
Both calls with Chinese sports officials were initiated by the IOC, according to Bach. He stated that the IOC was open to additional calls and did not rule out the involvement of a “independent” party. Martina Navratilova, a tennis great, was recommended to Bach.
Bach stated that Peng’s preferences must be honored, and that she had requested seclusion.
The IOC has not given a transcript of the calls, and Bach has never discussed her claims of sexual assault against former Politburo Standing Committee member Zhang Gaoli.
“Why don’t you respect Peng Shuai in this matter and let her decide what her priorities are?” Bach said. Other persons, he claimed, were involved in the first two calls, including a “native Chinese on the phone.”
He was supposed to be alluding to Li Lingwei, a Chinese member of the International Olympic Committee.
“We all had the same feeling that we couldn’t feel her being under strain while the calls were going,” Bach remarked. “We can only relay what she said on the call for the rest.”
He was supposed to be alluding to Li Lingwei, a Chinese member of the International Olympic Committee.
“We all had the same feeling that we couldn’t feel her being under strain while the calls were going,” Bach remarked. “We can only relay what she said on the call for the rest.”
“A lot of people are saying there are some suspicions here and there,” Bach continued. “It’s really simple to suspect someone. You can have suspicions about anything at any time.”
Peng is clearly not free to talk, according to Teng Biao, a Chinese-born human rights lawyer residing in the United States.
In a recent CNN interview, Teng stated, “Of sure, Peng Shuai is not secure.” “What we know (from videos) is that she’s still alive and in China.” But she is obviously not secure or well, and she is completely under the custody of Chinese officials, with no one knowing where she is being held.
“As a result, no one can guarantee the athletes’ safety if they travel to China.” Beijing isn’t interested in sports; what they are interested in is political monopoly. As a result, Beijing’s top objective is to retain its one-party rule.”