6:14 AM
An employee of Chinese state TV has posted photos of missing tennis star Peng Shuai online in a new effort to diffuse concern about her disappearance after she accused a senior leader of sexual assault.
Most internet users in China can't see the photos. The state TV employee wrote a message on the message service with the comment, "Happy Weekend."
Tennis stars and the sport's professional tour are trying to convince the Communist Party that it is safe to speak freely about the case of former No. 1-ranked women's doubles player, Peng.
The editor of a newspaper published by the party said that Peng would show up in public soon.
The Chinese capital is preparing to host the Winter Olympics in February and the controversy is awkward. A Foreign Ministry spokesman denied knowing about the uproar over the disappearance.
The 35-year-old has not been seen in public since she accused a former member of the party's Standing Committee of forcing her to have sex despite repeated refusals.
The English-language arm of China Central Television is aimed at foreign audiences. His post came after a statement was distributed by the network that said the accusations were false.
The editor of Global Times, an English-language newspaper published by the Communist Party, said that the photos are indeed of Peng Shuai's current state.
She didn't want to be disturbed and stayed in her home for a few days. She will show up in public soon.
The photos showed a woman with a cat and a figurine of a panda in a home with stuffed animals behind her. There was no indication when the photos were taken.
Steve Simon, the CEO of the Women's Tennis Association, questioned the legitimacy of the statement released by the CWN. Simon said it raised his concerns about her safety.
