Collective Study (Issue 02) IOC's First Woman President Must Secure Peng Shuai's Freedom
Newly elected IOC president Kirsty Coventry — the organisation's first woman leader — previously played a role in its botched handling of the Peng Shuai scandal. Now she has a chance to put things right.
In late 2021, tennis star and former Olympian Peng Shuai was disappeared by Chinese authorities after posting online about an affair with former Chinese vice-premier Zhang Gaoli, including an allegation that he had raped her.
Publishing details of the private lives of CCP leaders is one of the biggest taboos in China's authoritarian system.
Outside the Great Firewall, #WhereIsPengShuai went viral.
Weeks later, Peng Shuai began making forced statements and staged appearances in China aimed at denying the sexual assault claims and allegations of abuse and surveillance by Chinese authorities.
Peng was also coerced into retiring from professional tennis.
With China readying to host the Winter Olympics, the scandal couldn't have come at the worse time for the Party.
But when it came to the IOC, instead of using the Games as leverage to secure Peng Shuai's freedom, the organisation instead chose to work with China to present a picture of normality.
IOC leaders, including then-President Thomas Bach as well his future successor, Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry, took part in events with Peng Shuai in China that the CCP used as evidence to show the world she was safe and sound.
“She really seemed very happy and well to me in our interactions. It was really good to see her, but I really can’t disclose much more of the content of our conversation and everything she wanted to share she has already.” — Kirsty Coventry after meeting Peng Shuai
Unsurprisingly, Peng was never able to make good on what the IOC reported was her “intention” to travel to Europe, or take up the organisation on its invitation to visit the its Swiss headquarters and Olympic Museum.
The CCP succeeded, in large part thanks to the IOC, at burying the scandal and avoiding lasting boycotts by international sport.
IOC President Coventry's social media presence is sprinkled with hashtags such as #Women, #StrongerTogether, #HumanRights, and #ProtectingAthletes, and she has spoken about human rights and sport at high level forums including the Council of Europe and UN General Assembly.
Now is the time for Coventry to use her privileged position to proudly and concretely stand up for a fellow woman athlete.
Use the IOC’s reputational leverage over China to ensure Peng Shuai can finally fulfil her wish to travel abroad.