"Doubts remain" says L'Equipe journalist after interview with Peng

Marc Ventouillac, one of the two L'Equipe journalists who conducted an interview with Peng admits that he is doubtful whether Peng is truly free.

One of the journalists who conducted the first sit-down interview with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said Tuesday that the carefully controlled conversation did not answer questions about whether she can speak her mind or move freely.

A Chinese Olympic official was in the room and translated the conversation with Peng, who disappeared from public view for weeks after she made public allegations that a former top-ranked Communist Party forced her to have sex.

He said:

“It’s impossible to say. It’s a part of communication, propaganda, from the Chinese Olympic Committee."

He further explained:

“She answered our questions without hesitating — with, I imagine, answers that she knew. She knew what she was going to say. But you can’t know whether it was formatted or something. She said what we expected her to say.”