World Players Association Statement on Peng Shuai

The global player association movement is deeply concerned for the health and safety of Peng Shuai. Players who speak out are frequently targeted and left exposed to harm and abuse without protection or support, and that must end.

The global sport community including the International Olympic Committee has a responsibility to exercise its significant leverage and influence to protect athletes. It must act quickly and decisively to ensure Peng Shuai’s safety. This means demanding that China unequivocally demonstrates that Peng Shuai is and has at all times been safe and investigates the sexual assault allegations.

We join players around the world, the PTPA, WTA and human rights defenders in calling for Peng Shuai to be free from harm.

World Players supports the urgent establishment of a special delegation of international organisations and human rights experts to China to ascertain and guarantee Peng Shuai’s whereabouts and wellbeing.

#WhereisPengShuai

Related news

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, hands the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy to President Donald Trump during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington.

World Cup 2026: FIFA Needs to Act on Human Rights

As FIFA Awards “Peace Prize,” Coalition Calls for Concrete Protections for Workers, Athletes, Fans, Journalists, and Children (Washington, DC, December 3, 2025) – FIFA, the international soccer governing body, needs to match its lofty rhetoric on rights with concrete action, a coalition of human rights organizations, trade unions, and fans groups said today. FIFA is […]

READ MORE

SAFER Handbook: Football Supporters Europe publishes project outcomes and good practices

SAFER Handbook: Football Supporters Europe publishes project outcomes and good practices

SAFER – Support & Awareness for Female fans in European football through Research, prevention, and remedy Football Supporters Europe is delighted to share the handbook from its SAFER (Support & Awareness for Female fans in European football through Research, prevention, and remedy) project. Download the SAFER handbook here. About the project SAFER, a Football Supporters Europe project supported by the […]

READ MORE

Olympics: Uphold human rights for all athletes

Olympics: Uphold human rights for all athletes

Requesting clarification on the IOC Working Group on Women’s Category The Sport & Rights Alliance has written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the IOC Working Group on the “protection of the female category” and potential decisions to implement mandatory sex testing and a blanket ban on transgender and intersex athletes in the women’s […]

READ MORE

Related resources

“This may be the most important story you will tell, and you want it done right”

“This may be the most important story you will tell, and you want it done right”

Workshop Recap: Media Training for Impacted Athletes: Sharing your story with journalists On September 24th, The Athletes Network for Safer Sports held its third workshop of the year focusing on “Media Training for Impacted Athletes.” Featuring top sports journalists with extensive experience covering abuse cases, Shireen Ahmed and Suzy Wrack, the session marked an important […]

READ MORE

Image shows purple background with broken volleyball net

Australia: Van de Velde denied visa for World Beach Volleyball Championships

Content warning: This statement mentions sexual assault, rape, and the abuser’s name. (Amsterdam, October 28, 2025) – Kyniska Advocacy, The Army of Survivors, and the Athletes Network for Safer Sports, are once again calling on the sports world to take action to prevent athletes convicted of sexual offenses from competing on the global stage. Last year, […]

READ MORE

“It’s often still dangerous for athletes to speak out.”

“It’s often still dangerous for athletes to speak out.”

Workshop Recap: Athletes as Human Rights Defenders The Athletes Network for Safer Sports held a workshop on June 27th on the topic of “Athletes as Human Rights Defenders.” Moderated by Network Coordinator Joanna Maranhão, the session explored what athletes face when they speak up for human rights and what practical measures should be put in […]

READ MORE

Join the Network

Sport has the potential to be a catalyst for human development, unity, and freedom, but too often it instead brings harm to its athletes, fans, and communities. We exist to uncover and rectify the many abuses that exist both in and around sport. We aim to transform sports into an authentic force for good.