Analysis: Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has been seen in public. But here’s why the worries aren’t going away

Since Friday evening, “Can any girl fake such sunny smile under pressure?” asked Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of state-run tabloid the Global Times, in a Chinese authorities have so far elected not to place Peng on state television, perhaps aware that her presence — even only on its English-language platforms — would run counter to ongoing efforts to censor all discussions around her original allegations, and thus generate more questions within China than answers.Instead, Peng appeared in a 30-minute video call with IOC officials, accompanied by — and under the close watch of — a Chinese sports official who formerly served as the Communist Party secretary of the Tennis Administration Center of the General Administration of Sport of China.The interview has not been reported by Chinese state media. But on its website, the IOC posted a statement and a photo of the call. It didn’t release the full video, nor explain the circumstances surrounding the virtual meeting, including how it was arranged.And it appears that IOC officials have walked away from the meeting — at least publicly — concluding that Peng is OK.”I was relieved to see that Peng Shuai was doing fine, which was our main concern,” said Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Emma Terho, who joined the video call along with Li Lingwei, the Chinese sports official.By drawing to quick conclusions about Peng’s current state and avoiding any mention of her sexual assault allegations that ignited the whole controversy, analysts say the IOC is putting its own credibility on the line — and potentially risks becoming complicit in Beijing’s propaganda push.”The IOC call hardly alleviates our concerns for Peng’s well-being or safety,” said Wang from the HRW. “In fact, it begs the question of why the IOC appears to be participating in what is essentially a state-controlled narrative, as only the government and its affiliated media have been allowed to tell Peng’s story.”