Peng Shuai Says Safe And Healthy In Video Call With IOC President After Disappearing For Three Weeks

Peng Shuai (Twitter @WTA)

JAKARTA - Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai declared himself safe in a video call with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Sunday.

Photos and videos of Peng at a tournament in Beijing earlier the same day did little to ease global concerns about the player who had been missing for nearly three weeks. Peng accused a former senior Chinese official of sexually assaulting him.

The IOC said that at the start of the 30-minute video call with Thomas Bach, Peng thanked the IOC for its concern for his safety.

"He made it clear that he is safe and sound, staying at his home in Beijing, but wants his privacy to be respected at this time," the IOC said.

"That is why at this time he prefers to spend time with friends and family. Even so, he will continue to be involved in the tennis he loves so much," continued the IOC.

On November 2, Peng posted an admission on Chinese social media that former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted him several years ago.

Neither Zhang nor the Chinese government have commented on these allegations. Peng's social media posts were immediately deleted and the topic blocked from discussion on China's heavily censored internet.

Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times who became the nation's mouthpiece, posted a 25-second video on Twitter on Sunday showing Peng smiling, waving and signing autographs over a giant children's tennis ball in the Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger Finals tournament.

The tennis tournament's official WeChat page in China shows pictures of Peng in the tournament.

Peng was the world's number one doubles player in 2014 and became the first Chinese player to reach the top rankings, having won the Wimbledon doubles title in 2013 and the French Open in 2014.

On Saturday night, Peng visited a popular restaurant in downtown Beijing.

Seven people including Peng were at the Sichuan restaurant, said manager Zhou Hongmei.

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA), which has threatened to cancel tennis tournaments in China, said the photos and videos were "not enough" and did not allay the WTA's concerns.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said it would continue to seek confirmation from Peng that he was safe.