Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming said on Monday that tennis star Peng Shuai, who became the subject of concern after she accused a former senior politician of sexually assaulting her, was in good spirits when they appeared at an event last month.
"She seemed well. We chatted merrily," Yao said when asked in Beijing on Monday about his impressions of Peng at a cross-country skiing event they both attended last month in Shanghai.
The Women's Tennis Association has suspended tournaments in China due to what it says are concerns over Peng's safety, which it says have not been alleviated by her public appearances. The issue has cast a shadow over the upcoming winter Olympics in Beijing.Yao said he and Peng had known each other for nearly 20 years. However, he did not comment directly on the controversy that flared up last year after Peng, a former world No.
After that post, she was absent from public view for nearly three weeks. At the December event also attended by Yao, Peng told a media outlet she had never accused anyone of sexually assaulting her, and that her social media post had been misunderstood. She has not spoken publicly since.
Yao, China's most globally famous athlete, was the face of the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. He has retired from basketball and now acts as an ice and snow sports ambassador for China.Reporting by Yew Lun Tian Writing by Tony Munroe Editing by Peter GraffSubscribe to our daily curated newsletter to receive the latest exclusive Reuters coverage delivered to your inbox.
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