Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic has thrown his support behind the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for its decision to stop hosting events in China due to concerns over the welfare of Peng Shuai.
The WTA announced on Wednesday it would be halting all competitions that are scheduled to be held in China, with chairman Steve Simon raising doubt as to whether Peng is "free, safe and not subject to intimidation."
Concerns for the player emerged in November when Peng, 35, was believed missing for two weeks after she accused former Chinese Communist party vice-premier, Zhang Gaoli, of sexual coercion on social media site Weibo.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it held a second video call with Peng on Wednesday and intended to meet with the player personally in January.
That wasn't sufficient to convince the WTA to keep running events in the country, however, leading Djokovic to become one of the key players advocating for the boycott.
"I support fully the WTA's stance because we don't have enough information about Peng Shuai and her well-being," Djokovic said in Madrid, where his Serbia team are preparing to face Croatia in the Davis Cup semi-finals.
"I think the position of the WTA is very bold and very courageous."
He went on to describe Peng's health as being of "utmost importance to the world of tennis," with details regarding her current well-being still unclear.
It appeared as though an effort was made by the Chinese state to brush away the allegations against Zhang, with sites going so far as to censor mention of the word "tennis."
The outpouring of support for Peng has been almost universal since it was first speculated the player may be at risk, but Djokovic's voice carries particular weight in the tennis world.
His show of support for the WTA's suspension should aid the organisation in its efforts to shine a spotlight on Peng's status, with hope the women's tennis star's situation will improve.
Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, responded to the ban by saying his government was “always firmly opposed to acts that politicise sports.”
One could argue China had politicised the matter first if it's proved its government intervened on Peng's situation at all following her allegations of sexual assault against the former vice premier.
Zhang, 75, disappeared from public view himself shortly after the accusations and is yet to publicly address the allegations made against him.
In its statement confirming the suspension of competitions in China, Simon said it was with "very much regret it has come to this point.
"The tennis communities in China and Hong Kong are full of great people with whom we have worked for many years. They should be proud of their achievements, hospitality and success. However, unless China takes the steps we have asked for, we cannot put our players and staff at risk by holding events in China.
"China’s leaders have left the WTA with no choice. I remain hopeful that our pleas will be heard and the Chinese authorities will take steps to legitimately address this issue.”
Western governments have also appealed on Peng's behalf, with the United Kingdom pleading for "verifiable evidence" of her safety in November.
It was also reported the UK and United States are considering a 'diplomatic boycott' of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which are scheduled to be held in Beijing in February.
Djokovic beat Alexander Bublik in straight sets on Wednesday before winning a doubles decider to push Serbia into the final four of the 2021 Davis Cup.
