The girls’s skilled tennis tour will convey its occasions again to China later this 12 months, saying on Thursday the top of a boycott instituted in late 2021 over considerations concerning the security of former participant Peng Shuai after she accused a high-ranking authorities official there of sexual assault.
WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon mentioned in an interview with The Associated Press that whereas what he sought was by no means delivered – an opportunity for somebody from the tour to satisfy with Peng, together with a full and clear investigation into the Grand Slam doubles champion’s accusations – the choice was made, with enter from participant and match representatives, to return to the nation.
“The stance that we took at the time was appropriate. And we stand by that. But 16 months into this, we’re convinced that our requests will not be met. And to continue with the same strategy doesn’t make sense,” Simon mentioned from St. Petersburg, Florida, the place the WTA relies.
“So we needed to look at a different approach. With this, our members believe it’s time to resume the mission in China, where we believe we can continue to make a positive difference, as we have for the last 20 years, while at the same time making sure that Peng is not forgotten. By returning, hopefully more progress can be made.”
Although there have been no stories of Peng sightings in public since fastidiously orchestrated appearances throughout the Beijing Olympics in February 2022, Simon mentioned the WTA has “received assurances from people who are close to her, that we’ve been in contact with, that she is safe and living with her family in Beijing.”
He added that the tour has been assured by the Chinese Tennis Association, the game’s nationwide governing physique, that “there won’t be any issues with our athletes or our staff while they’re competing within the region.”
PHOTOS: Women’s tennis tour ends Peng Shuai-inspired China boycott
He referred to as the change in course “an organizational decision” and famous: “The great majority of the athletes were supportive and wanted to see a return … and felt it was time to go back.”
The tour’s schedule in China must be revealed within the subsequent couple of weeks, Simon mentioned. It will start in September and embrace the season-ending WTA Finals in Shenzhen and different stops just like what was performed in 2019, earlier than the coronavirus pandemic led to a spherical of cancellations.
Peng, now 37, gained doubles trophies at Wimbledon and the French Open and reached the No. 1 rating in doubles; in singles, she was a U.S. Open semifinalist and was ranked as excessive as No. 14. She dropped out of public view after saying in a social media publish in November 2021 that former vice premier Zhang Gaoli compelled her to have intercourse. The publish was shortly taken down by Chinese authorities.
The following month, Simon – with the backing of the WTA Board of Directors, gamers, tournaments and sponsors – mentioned the tour would droop play in China. That was the strongest public stand towards China by a sports physique and value the WTA tens of millions of {dollars} in income.
Peng later tried to recant, together with in a managed interview throughout final 12 months’s Winter Games. After the Olympics, the worldwide consideration and outrage raised by her case – “ Where is Peng Shuai? ” was a preferred rallying cry, a T-shirt slogan seen at Grand Slam tournaments, a trending matter on social media – appears to have lessened.
The ATP males’s tennis tour and the International Tennis Federation, which oversees the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup together with lower-level tournaments for particular person gamers, just lately mentioned they might resume operations in China after staying away due to COVID-19.
The ITF mentioned Thursday it welcomed the WTA’s determination to renew play in China.
“Regarding Peng Shuai, while she appears safe and well, we will continue to seek assurances about her ongoing safety and welcome all other organizations’ efforts to support her, both publicly and behind the scenes,” ITF President David Haggerty mentioned.
Back when he first delivered the information about leaving China, Simon instructed the AP: ”… the one factor that we will’t do is stroll away from this, as a result of if we’re strolling away from the important thing parts – which is clearly not solely her well-being, however the investigation – then we’re telling the world that not addressing sexual assault with respect to the seriousness it requires is OK, as a result of it’s too tough. And it’s merely one thing that we will’t let occur.”
Asked whether or not Thursday’s transfer may very well be construed by some as backing down, Simon replied: “Well, everybody will have their own opinions on that, for sure. I can understand how someone might look at it that way, for sure. But we took a stand that no one else has. And, I think, from that, we did receive some things that we didn’t think we would get, as well,” citing the assurances about Peng’s security and that of WTA gamers and workers upon return to China.
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