Chinese tennis star says she is safe in call with IOC

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BROADCAST AND DIGITAL RESTRICTIONS~**

Broadcasters: No resale. Video of Peng Shuai at tournament must be used in its entirety and on screen courtesy "via Twitter @HuXijin_GT"/ Part must on screen courtesy "via Twitter @qingqingparis" Digital: No resale. Video of Peng Shuai at tournament must be used in its entirety and on screen courtesy "via Twitter @HuXijin_GT"/ Part must on screen courtesy "via Twitter @qingqingparis".

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai had a video call on Sunday with the president of the International Olympic Committee and told him she was safe and well, the IOC said, after Western governments expressed mounting concern for her well-being.

Images of Peng at a children's tournament in Beijing published earlier in the day had done little to quell unease following a nearly three-week public absence after she alleged that a former senior Chinese official had sexually assaulted her.

In a statement, the IOC said Peng began the 30-minute call with its president Thomas Bach by thanking the Olympic organization for its concern.

It addend that Peng “explained that she is safe and well, living at her home in Beijing, but would like to have her privacy respected at this time.”

Current and former tennis players, from Naomi Osaka to Billie Jean King, had joined the calls seeking to confirm she was safe, using the social media hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai?

World No.1 Novak Djokovic said it would be strange to hold tournaments in China unless the "horrific" situation was resolved.

On Nov. 2nd, Peng posted on Chinese social media that former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her several years ago.

Neither Zhang nor the Chinese government have commented on her allegation.

Peng's social media post was quickly deleted and the topic has been blocked from discussion on China's heavily censored internet.

The concern over Peng came as global rights groups and others have called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February over China's human rights record.