Thread by @SportsInsider

(TW: Sexual assault)

Tennis star Peng Shuai said former Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli sexually assaulted her in 2017.

She has not been seen or heard from since, and her accusation was scrubbed from Chinese social media.

Here's what's going on. 👇

insider.com/china-tennis-p…

On Nov. 2, Peng wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo that she had a consensual relationship with Zhang Gaoli when she was younger but he later sexually assaulted her.

The post was deleted within an hour, and she has not been heard from since.

insider.com/china-tennis-p…

In the wake of her post, search terms for "tennis" were blocked on Weibo and information about Peng was scrubbed from China's internet, The Guardian reported.

Chinese websites and social media often remove content deemed unsavory to the government.

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CNN anchors said China blocks the network's broadcast every time it covers Peng's disappearance.

Anchor Erin Burnett also reported that a Chinese government spokesperson said Peng's case was "not a diplomatic issue" when asked about her whereabouts.

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On Friday, a Chinese state media reporter posted photos to Twitter purportedly showing the missing tennis star posing with a cat and a slew of stuffed animals.

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https://twitter.com/shen_shiwei/status/1461715435385020419

This comes after the Chinese state media published a letter supposedly from Peng on Wednesday.

But the letter has been met with a lot of skepticism and has increased fears for her safety.

insider.com/peng-shuai-ske…

https://twitter.com/CGTNEurope/status/1461024482383048714

Women's Tennis Association head Steve Simon was particularly skeptical, saying soon after the message was released that it has actually made him more worried about her wellbeing.

insider.com/peng-shuai-ske…

The WTA has threatened to pull out of events in China if there is not a sufficient investigation into Peng's disappearance and allegations.

Among the events scheduled in 2022 is the WTA Finals tournament, which is held in the city of Shenzhen.

insider.com/wta-threatens-…

Tennis phenomenons Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams have joined a growing list of athletes voicing their concerns over the whereabouts of Peng.

insider.com/serena-william…

https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/1460723353174433793

This isn't the first time a high-profile figure has disappeared in China following a scandal.

In August 2018, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing vanished after being accused of tax evasion, only to reemerge two months later with an apology.

businessinsider.com/celebrities-wh…

This tactic — which comes alongside a mass, unopposed crackdown on lawyers, activists, and state critics — appears to be one of Beijing's go-to strategies to tackle disloyalty and prevent rebellion.

businessinsider.com/peng-shuai-dis…