The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said that it ‘remains deeply concerned’ that Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai ‘is not free from censorship or coercion’. The tennis body’s statements come days after Chinese state media reported that the tennis player is safe and sound, quashing rumours of her disappearance.

The WTA, in a statement, said the CEO Steve Simon made several attempts to contact Peng “via various communication channels,” that included two emails “to which it was clear her responses were influenced by others.”

As per a CNN report, this is the reason why Simon “decided not to re-engage via email until he was satisfied her responses were her own, and not those of her censors.”

“The WTA remains concerned about her ability to communicate freely, openly, and directly,” the statement concludes.

Peng, on November 2, in a social media post, alleged former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her into doing sex with him at his home. The social media post has since been deleted.

Soon after the accusation was levelled, Peng reportedly disappeared. Her absence from platforms prompted several fellow tennis players to express worry on social media. They tweeted their concern using the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), on November 21, in a statement said that president Thomas Bach had a 30-minute call with three-time Olympian Peng. Present in the call was a Chinese sports official and an IOC official.

The statement said that, during the call, Peng appeared to be “doing fine” and “relaxed.” The statement also added that she “would like to have her privacy respected.”

However, the IOC did not divulge details as to how the call was arranged.

Following this, Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticized the IOC’s role in collaborating with Chinese authorities on Peng Shuai’s reappearance.

“It’s a whole different order of magnitude to see Thomas Bach, in a photograph with a woman, Peng Shuai, under intense pressure, we can reasonably assume from other cases, to walk back her claims of sexual assault, rather than figuring doing everything in his and the organization’s power to call that out and make sure that she is afforded the support and investigation and prosecution that may well be warranted,” HRW China Director Sophie Richardson said on November 23.