The President of the IOC will meet with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai

The President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach will meet with the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai in the “closed bubble” of the Beijing 2022 Olympics.

Bach said the IOC knows “she is living here in Beijing, that she is reporting that she can move freely, that she is spending time with her family and friends”. He went on to say the next step is to meet her in person “to convince us in person of her well-being and of her state of mind”.

Peng Shuai has disappeared from the public and caused concern in sports circles after the former number one in couples accused a senior Chinese politician of sexual harassment in the past.

Last month, Peng Shuai said she had never accused anyone of sexual assault and that her publication had not been properly understood.

The “closed bubble” is an area where all participants in the Beijing 2022 Olympics are restricted to avoid the spread of coronavirus infection in Beijing. The games officially open today.

Peng Shuai is a Chinese professional tennis player. In February 2014, she was ranked world No 1 doubles player by the WTA, becoming the first Chinese tennis player to achieve that ranking. She peaked at No 14 of the singles rankings in August 2011.