New video of ‘smiling’ China tennis star Peng Shuai surfaces amid global outcry

Peng has not been seen publicly since alleging earlier this month that former vice premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during an on-off relationship spanning several years.

A new video of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has emerged after photographs showed her surrounded by toys amid growing concern in the sports world and several countries demanded to know about her whereabouts since she accused a former vice premier of sexually abusing her.

Peng Shuai has represented China in the Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics and won gold for China at the 2010 Asian Games.  (Reuters File Photo)

On Saturday, the Chinese state media posted a video purporting to show the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion Peng Shuai smiling and well. Hu Xijin, the editor of the Global Times newspaper, posted a video showing the 35-year-old walking into a restaurant wearing a coat, knit cap and face mask.

“I acquired two video clips, which show Peng Shuai was having dinner with her coach and friends in a restaurant. The video content clearly shows they are shot on Saturday Beijing time,” Hu posted on Twitter along with the videos.

In the other video, Peng is seen with a mask and sitting at a table chatting with people over a meal.

According to AFP, they were heard talking about "tennis matches" and a man sitting with Peng and two other women say "tomorrow is November 20th." But one of the women quickly interrupts him to say, "It is the 21st" or Sunday.

Peng has not been seen publicly since alleging earlier this month on Chinese social media site Weibo that former vice premier Zhang Gaoli, now in his 70s, had "forced" her into sex during an on-off relationship spanning several years.

Peng’s claims were quickly deleted from the Twitter-like platform and the whereabouts of the former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion have been a mystery ever since.

The chief of Women's Tennis Association, which has threatened to end lucrative contracts with China unless it gets word that Peng is safe and well, Steve Simon said while he was "glad" to see the images, "it remains unclear if she is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own, without coercion or external interference".

"This video alone is insufficient. I have been clear about what needs to happen and our relationship with China is at a crossroads,” Simon said in a statement.

The videos were posted by Hu after he retweeted photos of a smiling Peng by the Twitter account @shen_shiwei, labelled "Chinese state-affiliated media" by the social network.

"I confirmed through my own sources today that these photos are indeed Peng Shuai's current state. In the past few days, she stayed in her own home freely and she didn't want to be disturbed. She will show up in public and participate in some activities soon,” the Global Times editor posted on Twitter.

Before that, state-run CGTN published a screenshot on Twitter of what it said was an email written by Peng to the WTA. Peng claims her earlier accusations are "not true" and that she is "resting at home and everything is fine".

But the awkward language and the cursor visible in the screenshot led to doubts about its authenticity.

China has repeatedly refused to comment on the case.

Peng has represented China in the Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics and won gold for China at the 2010 Asian Games.

(With AFP inputs)