Chinesexjmtzyw tennis player Peng Shuai has denied she ever accused anyone of sexual assault, pointing out she deleted her social media post in November that appeared to make the claim.
The well-being of Peng, a three-time Olympian, became a matter of concern in November when she appeared to allege on social media that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past.
In an interview with French newspaper L'Equipe at a hotel in Beijing, Peng said: "I never said anyone had sexually assaulted me in any way."
Peng's social media post, deleted quickly after going online, led the Women's Tennis Association to suspend tournaments in China and caused an international outcry about her safety.
- Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's absence remains top of mind amid Beijing Olympics
- Former world No. 1 doubles player accuses Chinese Communist Party official of sexual assault
The International Olympic Committee confirmed Peng had met with organization president Thomas Bach for dinner on Saturday inside the Winter Olympics bubble in Beijing.
