Nicaragua Escalates Political Repression, Remembering Peng Shuai.

HRF condemns the Chinese government’s enforced silencing of Peng Shuai and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA)’s complicity. Nearly four years after Peng raised sexual assault allegations against a government official, there is still no independent proof that she is free, safe, or able to speak. January 8 marked her birthday.

Professional tennis player Peng Shuai vanished from public view in 2021 after accusing a senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official of sexual assault. She briefly appeared at the 2022 Winter Olympics but was under the supervision of CCP minders. (Sports Illustrated)

The WTA suspended operations in China in 2021, citing concerns for Peng’s safety and the lack of a transparent investigation into her allegations. However, the organization returned to China in 2023 after acknowledging the significant impact of their withdrawal.

Peng’s disappearance reflects a broader pattern of censorship in which the CCP silences survivors and critics through coercion and enforced disappearance. Through financial pressure and political intimidation, the CCP is successfully able to influence global sports institutions like the WTA.