After being charged with sexual assault, former US Open runner-up Peng Shuai is missing in action but her absence has not stopped her from appearing on the internet
Peng Shuai hasn’t been seen in public since making sexual assault allegation. Here’s what you need to know
Peng Shuai hasn’t been seen in public since the Chinese tennis player was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a doctor in Beijing on 5 December. The 31-year-old, a former US Open and French Open runner-up, was reported missing by her family after she did not return to her home on 14 December.
Peng has appeared on the internet, but is currently absent from the court in China and it is unclear when she will appear again. While having access to the internet is not considered as a necessity to a Chinese citizen, many Chinese people access the internet by using VPNs, which allow them to bypass Chinese internet censors.
There have been allegations on social media that Peng is simply a victim of cheating and has been in hiding, but the public prosecutor’s office in Beijing denied there was any “double jeopardy”. There is no record of Peng appearing in court, but she has previously stated that she would like to appear in court on her own “so that the legal process can end”.
Peng Shuai: the Chinese tennis star who made a surprising Olympic comeback Read more
In a post on her Weibo account, Peng wrote: “I have always practiced the truthfulness, sincerity and cleanliness. At this moment I need my own time for introspection, with my family and friends, with colleagues, and with those that don’t understand, to seek forgiveness for my actions.”
In May 2017, Peng completed her rehabilitation from a pulmonary embolism after spending over 60 days in the hospital.