“I have never spoken or written about anyone sexually assaulting me,” Peng told Singapore-based Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on Sunday, in her first comments to international media since the explosive allegations came to light.
When asked if she has been able to move freely or was concerned about her safety, Peng said she has “always been free” and that she has been living at her home in Beijing.
The interview took place on the sidelines of the International Ski Federation’s cross-country skiing competition in Shanghai on Sunday, where Peng was also photographed with Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming, and two former Olympians: sailor Xu Lijia and table tennis player Wang Liqin.
“First of all, it’s my personal privacy. There possibly has been a lot of misunderstanding. Therefore, there should not be such distorted interpretation here,” she said.
According to screenshots of that post, the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion accused former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of pressuring her into having sex at his home three years ago.
Chinese authorities have not acknowledged the sexual assault allegations against Zhang and discussion of the subject continues to be censored in China.
Source : cnn
