Tennis Australia has lifted its ban on fans wearing t-shirts to the Australian Open to demonstrate support for Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. According to their CEO Craig Tiley, fans will now be able to wear t-shirts with inscriptions supporting Shuai. Tiley has maintained, however, that banners would remain prohibited from the tournament owing to the comfort and safety concerns of other spectators.
Tennis Australia is standing by its decision to order an Australian Open spectator to remove a shirt that featured a message supporting Peng Shuai amid ongoing concerns for the Chinese tennis star’s welfare.
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) January 23, 2022
Where are all you boycotters now?pic.twitter.com/WlbAD5iBQH
Last week, on Friday, videos of supporters at Melbourne Park went viral, showing them being compelled to remove T-shirts addressing the Chinese athlete.
A group of volunteers for the Democratic Alliance Party have walked into the Australian Open donning “Where is Peng Shuai?” T-Shirts. It comes after Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley reversed his decision to confiscate them at the weekend. @australian #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/xqTBPnAGKp
— Angelica Snowden (@ang3snowden) January 25, 2022
Tennis Australia had stood firm in its decision to prohibit the wearing of clothing and the display of banners in support of missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. However, after wide criticism, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley stated “Where is Peng Shuai” T-shirts would be allowed as long as the spectators remained nonviolent.
“What we’ve said is that if anyone comes on-site with an intent to disrupt and use the Australian Open as a platform for themselves and really disrupts the comfort and the safety of our fans, then they’re not welcome. However, if someone wants to wear a t-shirt and make a statement about Peng Shuai that’s fine”, CEO Tiley was quoted saying by AFP.
Peng Shuai has been a focus of international attention since she accused a senior Chinese leader of sexual misconduct in early November last year. Former Czechoslovakian American tennis player Martina Navratilova called the Australian Open’s decision to prohibit fans from wearing shirts with words of support for Chinese doubles player Peng Shuai at the grand slam “cowardly.”
Recently, Tennis Australia was chastised by Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton for enforcing a ban on t-shirts and placards supporting Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. “It’s deeply concerning, and I think we should be speaking up about these issues.” Dutton was quoted as saying by Sky News. “I’d encourage not just celebrities but tennis organizations, including Tennis Australia, WTA’s been very good in relation to it, but other governments and other bodies, we need to speak as one voice on this,” he added.
As per reports, Peng Shuai disappeared after accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her into sex at his home. In November 2021, she posted a long post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, which was quickly censored by the CCP. Fans were concerned about her safety and wellbeing after she had remained incommunicado for over 3 weeks. Though she did appear in public later, there are still concerns regarding her safety and freedom of movement. She is not participating in the Australian Open.
