First, Novak Djokovic got the organizers of the Australian Open in trouble. Now the handling of the Peng Shuai case is causing criticism of the tournament. Protests in favor of the missing tennis player were initially prohibited.
The activists had just set up two tables in front of several TV cameras and placed some boxes on them when two security guards from Tennis Australia approached the group. An employee asked almost shyly and in a cautious voice: “Could you please put the table a few meters away from the entrance?” He kept his distance due to the corona. One of the activists looked around at his comrades-in-arms, who nodded. Then the young man from Hong Kong replied: “Sure, no problem – let’s do it.”
As of 4:30 p.m. local time, three hours before historic women’s final with Australian heroine Asleigh Barty At the Australian Open in Melbourne, activists from the newly founded Australian party “democratic alliance” set up media-effective stands at each of the entrances to the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.
There the activists acted like friendly barkers. But they didn’t sell anything. They gave away free white ones to those who attended the finals T-Shirts with black inscription: “Where is Peng Shuai?” was written on these. They had printed 1,000 copies during the week after the group raised almost 20,000 Australian dollars via a collecting page.
It was the last act in an orchestrated action to draw attention to the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who is still considered to be in hiding, this week on the sidelines of the Australian Open. The group had already celebrated a point victory over those responsible for Tennis Australia in front of the entrance in front of the media on Tuesday. The host had them T-Shirts initially banned, but then allowed after negative publicity.
Now they are there with supplies. “We cannot allow Australians to be muzzled at the Australian Open,” activist face Drew Pavlou told t-online. “Peng Shuai cannot speak freely, cannot speak to Western media. She is censored by the Chinese government. We want to make sure this story stays alive.”
Shortly before the Olympics in Beijing: Peng Shuai further submerged
Peng Shuai, the former number one in the doubles world rankings from China, accused former Vice Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli of sexual abuse of power in a statement on November 2 via her official account – presumably herself – on the social platform Weibo in China. Zhang was also a member of the Communist Party’s Politburo from 2012 to 2017. It was the first time a politician from the ruling party had been confronted with #metoo allegations. The post was deleted less than half an hour after publication and censored in China.
Peng Shuai in February 2020 at the Thailand Open: whereabouts unclear. (Source: Schreyer/imago images)
Since then there has been no independent sign that she is well, safe and not being pressured by the Chinese authorities. Dubious videos published by state-affiliated media repeatedly circulated. Unlike larger sports associations such as the Premier League and the NBA, the women’s tour WTA in tennis rigorously defended itself against the influence of the Middle Kingdom and canceled all tennis tournaments in China for 2022. Shortly before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, this story had become a global political issue.
Tournament has two main Chinese sponsors
In Melbourne, Novak Djokovic’s entry saga initially dominated the headlines. Exactly a week ago, a TikTok video by the activists went viral. It showed security officers together with police officers who had been called in a small group with them T-Shirts and banners refused entry to the facility. Those responsible for the tournament around the tournament director Craig Tiley, who was already under pressure because of his handling of the “Dokovic case”, then referred to the ticket regulations, according to which no advertising or political statements may be made.
Remembering Peng Shuai: Activists ahead of Australian Open final in Melbourne. (Source: Frank Molter/dpa)
With the liquor company Luzhou Laojiao and the mattress manufacturer DeRucci, two Chinese companies are listed among the main sponsors on the tournament website. French professional Nicolas Mahut retweeted the video after the incident a week ago and commented: “What’s the point? There’s a lack of courage. What if you didn’t have Chinese sponsors?”
After greats like Martina Navratilova publicly criticized the decision, the Australian Tennis Association softened the regulation on Tuesday morning. The pressure from the media had apparently become too great. T-Shirts are now allowed – but banners are still forbidden. “If anyone wants to come onto the facility with the intention of disrupting the Australian Open or using the event as a platform and endangering the comfort and safety of our fans, then they are not welcome. If someone is a T-Shirt wear and make a statement for Peng Shuai, that’s fine,” Tiley explained.
Tournament Director Tiley: Give in to public pressure. (Source: pool photo/imago images)
Tennis Australia avoided further negative publicity on Saturday, just before the final between Barty and American outsider Danielle Collins. Two security officers watched the activities of the activists, but did not intervene. Viewers who are interested in a T-Shirt decided, were allowed onto the facility without any problems.
“I think they have to be friendly with all the media attention,” said Pavlou, who spoke to rushing fans at the same time as the interview, explaining: “If you T-Shirts are too many: We also have yellow stickers in Chinese characters for the word ‘missing’.” There were also yellow ribbons as a symbol.
Activist was banned from own university
Pavlou and his comrades-in-arms see themselves as activists and have founded the democracy alliance party over the past six months. “It is intended to bring together everyone affected by the Chinese government’s repression in Australia,” said the 22-year-old on Tuesday. He and his fellow campaigners are running in the next Senate elections in four states, and the party already has around 3,000 members. John Mainland, who is helping to set up the structures, says: “All candidates have experienced some form of oppression and have their roots in Hong Kong, Tibet, the Uyghurs and Europe.”
Pavlou, for example, was banned from his own university in Queensland after he drew attention to the abuses in Hong Kong in 2019. He was injured in a collision with pro-Beijing students who had traveled there. The university, he says, dropped him and blamed him. The Chinese government has built up a lot of pressure. That’s why he wanted to expand his political commitment.
Aktvist Pavlou: “Want to make sure Peng Shuai’s story stays relevant.” (Source: AAP/imago images)
There was no official statement from Tennis Australia at the final on Saturday. A spokesman for the association wrote to the AP news agency that T-Shirts would also be allowed on Saturday, as long as you don’t perform in large groups.
Upon arriving at the entrance two hours before the finals, a mother walked purposefully to the booth and asked, “Can I have six shirts?” Her five children stood behind her. All were taken care of. The first thing they did when they arrived at the facility was to take a picture in front of a banner showing Asleigh Barty. There was a lot in this picture: Barty has indigenous roots. The family in the photo has African American roots. they wore T-Shirts, who drew attention to a Chinese tennis player who went into hiding. At a tournament that is also supported in China.
While one of the country’s biggest broadcasters, channel 7, the T-shirt promotion on the main news, the tournament’s broadcaster, channel 9, stayed away from the protests until just before the final. Those responsible, it seems, are desperately trying to find a balance between respect for freedom of expression and the influence that Chinese sponsors have in this tournament.
