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Australian Open organizers came under fire after a video posted to social media over the weekend showed fans being asked to remove shirts that referenced Chinese doubles player Peng Shuai, who disappeared momentarily from the public eye in November after she accused a former top Communist Party official of sexual assault.
Security at Melbourne Park was seen confiscating shirts and a banner that read “Where is Peng Shuai?” in a video posted to TikTok on Saturday, according to ESPN.
FAN EJECTED AFTER FIGHT BREAKS OUT AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Police were eventually called to the scene and one officer can reportedly be heard saying “The Australian Open does have a rule that you can’t have political slogans … it’s a rule that it’s a condition of entry.”
Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai signs large-sized tennis balls at the opening ceremony of Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger Final in Beijing, China, on Nov. 21, 2021.
Tennis Australia issued a statement in response to the video saying that while Peng’s safety is “our primary concern,” fans are not allowed to politically protest at the tournament.
“Under our ticket conditions of entry we don’t allow clothing, banners or signs that are commercial or political,” the statement read, via Reuters. “Peng Shuai’s safety is our primary concern. We continue to work with the WTA and global tennis community to seek more clarity on her situation and will do everything we can to ensure her well-being.”
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Peng, 35, made headlines in November when she wrote a lengthy post on Chinese social media platform Weibo that alleged former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli forced her to have sex despite repeated refusals following a round of tennis three years ago. She further claimed Zhang’s wife guarded the door during the incident.
Shuai Peng of China during day two of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Jan. 15, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Fred Lee/Getty…
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Source : foxnews
