Tennis Australia says Peng Shuai’s safety its ‘primary concern’ despite banning T-shirts supporting Chinese player

Tennis Australia maintains Peng Shuai’s safety is its “primary concern” despite asking fans at Melbourne Park to remove T-shirts and a banner bearing the words “Where is Peng Shuai?”

Australian Open players have continued to express concern for the wellbeing of the Chinese tennis player who in early November accused a senior Chinese official of sexual assault.

But tournament officials have confiscated material they deemed to contain political statements.

This weekend, Brisbane activist Drew Pavlou posted a video to Twitter showing spectators being approached by security and then Victoria police.

The footage featured Max Mok, a pro-democracy campaigner from Hong Kong who recently announced his intention to contest the Melbourne marginal seat of Chisholm in this year’s federal election, and a fellow spectator in conversation with a member of Tennis Australia (TA) security who confiscated a banner.

The security officer also asked the pair to remove their T-shirts which featured a photo of Peng on the front below the word “Wanted”. “Where is Peng Shuai?” was printed on the back of the T-shirt.

Mok queried the reason for the confiscations, and a police officer was called to explain that the material was in breach of TA’s policy banning political statements.

“I’m not saying you can’t have those views, but Tennis Australia sets the rules here,” the police officer said.

TA on Sunday confirmed that was the case.

“Under our ticket conditions of entry we don’t allow clothing, banners or signs that are commercial or political,” a Tennis Australia spokesperson told Guardian Australia.

“Peng Shuai’s safety is our primary concern. We continue to work with the WTA and global tennis community to seek more clarity on her situation and