Peng Shuai meets IOC chief at Beijing Winter Olympics

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach makes a speech during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, at the National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest, in Beijing, on February 4, 2022. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)

Peng Shuai has met Olympic chief Thomas Bach at the Beijing Winter Games, the IOC said Monday, while US ski star Mikaela Shiffrin suffered a bitter disappointment in her first attempt at gold in China.

The International Olympic Committee said tennis player Peng, who sparked global concern in November when she fell silent after alleging that a top Chinese politician had forced her into sex, dined with Bach on Saturday and watched curling.

Peng reappeared in public nearly three weeks after her allegation, and later withdrew it, insisting her online comments had been taken out of context. But fears for her safety and well-being remained.

Separately, in an interview published Monday with French sports daily L’Equipe, Peng repeated her denial.

“I never said anyone had sexually assaulted me in any way,” said the former world number one doubles player.

Asked why she deleted the social media post containing the allegation, Peng said: “Because I wanted to.”

“There was a huge misunderstanding in the outside world following this post,” she said.

“I don’t want the meaning of this post to be twisted anymore. And I don’t want any further media hype around it.”

‘Finished before it started’ Defending champion Shiffrin was among the favourites to retain the women’s giant slalom title and win a third Olympic gold medal of her career, but in bright morning sunshine she made an error near the top of her first run and slid out.

“There’s a huge disappointment, not even counting medals,” she said.