9:40 PM
Tennis Australia decided to allow spectators to protest against the location of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai as long as it doesn't disrupt the event.
In November, she accused a Chinese Communist Party member of pressuring her into sex. The former world No. 14 has vanished from social media, with her location and well-being unknown.
Tennis Australia's announcement came 48 hours after a fan at the park was asked to remove a T-shirt and take down a banner with a message. A video of the interaction has been viewed over 100,000 times on TikTok.
Tennis Australia initially defended the decision, saying the fans in question did not meet the Australian Open's ticketing conditions. Craig Tiley told Agence France-Presse that the stance had changed.
Tiley said that fans can continue their protests as long as they are peaceful. Some people who are not here and don't really know the full view have lost it in translation.
Some people came with a banner on two large poles and we can't allow that. We can't allow anyone to cause a disruption at the end of the day if you are coming to watch the tennis.
In the past 72 hours, a page titled "Australian Open -- Hand Out Peng Shuai Shirts" was created with the aim to print and distribute shirts ahead of the women's final. The initiative has attracted over 300 donations, totaling about $10,709, including one single anonymous donation.
My idea is very simple. The initiative's creator, Drew Pavlou, posted on the page, "How about we present major difficulties for Tennis Australia by printing off one thousand of these shirts and giving them out for free to spectators entering the Women's Grand Final?"
The money raised here will go towards the printing of the shirts. We will account for every dollar spent.
The women's Australian Open final will be held at Rod Laver Arena.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
