Women's Tennis Association threatens to pull out of China over Peng Shuai's disappearance

Peng Shuai
(Image credit: Emmanuel Wong/Getty Images)

Women's Tennis Association CEO Steve Simon is threatening to pull out of China over the disappearance of tennis star Peng Shuai after receiving an apparently "staged statement" attributed to her.

Simon spoke with CNN amid growing concern for Peng, whose whereabouts have been unknown after she made an allegation of sexual assault against a former Chinese official. The WTA chair has been demanding assurances that Peng is safe and calling for an investigation into her allegations, and he told CNN that "we're definitely willing to pull our business" out of China and "deal with all the complications that come with it," adding, "This is bigger than the business."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.