Peng Shuai denies accusing high-ranking Chinese official of sexual assault

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Last November, Chinese tennis player PengShuai took to social media and appeared to accuse a high-ranking official in the ruling Chinese Communist Party of forcing her to have sex after her repeated refusals, but she now denied ever accusing anyone of sex assault.

L’Equipe, a French newspaper, was granted a rare interview with Peng at a hotel in Beijing and asked her about her Weibo post, Reuters reported. The paper-- citing the translated text of her now-deleted post, asked her to elaborate the post that seemed as though she was claiming sexual assault.

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FILE - China's Peng Shuai serves to Japan's Nao Hibino during their first round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File) (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)

"Sexual assault?" she asked. "I never said anyone had sexually assaulted me in any way."

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Peng posted that Zhang Gaoli, a former vice premier and member of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, had forced her to have sex despite repeated refusals. Her post also said they had sex once seven years ago and she had feelings for him after that. The original post was seen as a stunning allegation against one of the country's most powerful men.

Supporters of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai wear T-shirts as they pose for a photo during the women's final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022.  (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)