Novak Djokovic Isn’t the Only One Missing from the Australian Open
In rushing to silence fans’ concerns about the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, sports authorities have only brought more attention to the issue.
Where is Peng Shuai?
Photographer: Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg
Novak Djokovic isn’t the only one missing from this year’s Australian Open in Melbourne. Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai is also absent from a tournament where she’s played at least 15 times since 2005. But it is event organizers who, perhaps unintentionally, have shone a light on a problem many sports officials seem to wish would go away.
Two audience members were ejected from Melbourne Park over the weekend for wearing t-shirts and carrying a banner asking, “Where is Peng Shuai?” That same question has become a hashtag on social media as people around the world advocate for her safety. In November, Peng made allegations of sexual assault against a senior member of China’s ruling Communist Party, which were denied.