IOC president to meet Peng Shuai in Beijing Winter Olympics ‘closed loop’
- Thomas Bach says the Chinese tennis player will enter the Games bubble ‘to have this meeting because she wanted this’
- Peng’s well-being became a matter of concern in November when she alleged on social media that a former vice-premier had sexually assaulted her
The well-being of Peng, a former world No 1 doubles player who has taken part in three Olympic Games, became a matter of concern in November when she alleged on social media that a former Chinese vice-premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her.
The closed loop is a zone all Games participants are restricted to in order to avoid spreading the coronavirus infection in Beijing. The Games officially open on Friday.
“She will enter the closed loop in order to have this meeting because she wanted this,” Bach told a news conference. “Once all procedures have finished then we will have our meeting.”
He did not give a date for the meeting. People from within China entering the closed loop need to provide two negative coronavirus tests.
Peng said last month she had never accused anyone of sexually assaulting her and that the post she made had been misunderstood. Zhang has not commented on the matter.