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Wimbledon Champion Vanishes After Making Serious Allegations Against Chinese Politician

Wimbledon Champion Vanishes After Making Serious Allegations Against Chinese Politician

Peng Shuai has been missing for more than a week and she's been 'erased' from social media.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

A Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion has vanished several days after making serious sexual assault allegations against a Chinese politician.

China's Peng Shuai has reportedly been missing for 10 days.

Her disappearance comes less than two weeks after she accused former vice premier Zhang Gaoli of rape on her Weibo account.

News Corp reports she's been erased from the internet and from social media.

All comments on her post have been disabled and posting about either the accuser or the accused, even when not about the story, throws up an error.

In her post, she alleged she was coerced into sex with Gaoli before starting an on-off relationship with him.

Action Plus Sports Images / Alamy Live News

Zhang, who is now 75-years-old, who was a high ranking member of the Communist Party, was accused of having an affair with the tennis champion in 2011.

Peng then claimed that he rekindled things in 2018, after inviting her for dinner and then pressured her into having sex, which she refused before eventually relenting.

She also claimed she had no evidence to back up her serious allegations.

The post was up on Weibo for around half an hour before it was deleted, however it's unclear whether the deletion was from Shuai or from someone else.

The World Tennis Association has called on China's Communist Party to investigate the allegations.

WTA chairman Steve Simon said: "The recent events in China concerning a WTA player, Peng Shuai, are of deep concern.

Terry Ting/Southcreek Global/ZUMApress.com

"As an organisation dedicated to women, we remain committed to the principles we were founded on - equality, opportunity and respect.

"Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored. Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness.

"We expect this issue to be handled properly, meaning the allegations must be investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship.

"Our absolute and unwavering priority is the health and safety of our players. We are speaking out so justice can be done."

Peng Shuai was the first Chinese player to achieve a top ranking when she became the world number one doubles player back in 2014.

She won the doubles title at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open the following year.

It's not known why she chose the timing of her recent post, but it did say: "You've said you are not afraid.

"But even as an egg hurled at a rock, a moth to a flame for self-destruction, I will speak the truth with you."

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Topics: SPORT, News