American President Joe Biden confirmed that the US was considering a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing over concerns of China's human rights record, sparked by the latest controversy surrounding Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.
Shuai, a two-time doubles Grand Slam champion, accused a former Chinse Vice Premier of sexual assault, and the WTA and European Union have since raised concerns that she is currently not free and living under control and coercion.
President Biden since admitted that a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics was “something we’re considering” as he sat down for a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month.
White House spokesperson and US Press Secretary Jen Psaki recently confirmed during a regular briefing that concerns over human rights practices were behind the consideration of a diplomatic boycott.
"There are areas that we do have concerns: human rights abuses,” Psaki told reporters.
“We have serious concerns about the human rights abuses we’ve seen in XinXiang and certainly there are a range of factors as we look at what our presence would be.”
According to CNN, the diplomatic boycott - which is expected to be announced this week - would leave American athletes free to compete in the Winter Games, but means US officials would not attend events including the opening ceremony in February.
On Friday November 19, Psaki gave a statement on behalf of the US government, saying: “We are deeply concerned by reports that Peng Shuai appears to be missing after accusing a former PRC senior official of sexual assault. We join in the calls for PRC authorities to provide independent and verifiable proof of her whereabouts and that she is safe.
“I can’t speak, of course I know you’re not asking this, but to the details of the case or any more details of where she might be, obviously, but I want to be clear where the United States stands, generally speaking.
“First, any report of sexual assault should be investigated, and we support a woman’s ability to speak out and seek accountability, whether here or around the world.
“Second, we’ll continue to stand up for the freedom of speech and we know the PRC has zero tolerance for criticism and a record of silencing those that speak out, and we continue to condemn those practices.”
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.
mandoist09-11-2026 - Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!mandoist09-11-2026
- "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?mandoist09-11-2026
- Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.mandoist08-11-2026
- Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??mandoist08-11-2026
- Wtf? Why is there no reason? And what about the men's?Bel08-11-2026
- One step by another step -- WTA continues to 'lose the plot'. Too many hi-tech microphones being installed at most venues!!! Remove them (especially those along the hallways, sidewalks, and pathways throughout the venues. Not to mention (most of all) remove the mic's from the Players/Coaches Box.mandoist06-11-2026
- Enough of her bullshit. Go marry someone.mandoist06-11-2026
- Don't you just love this young lady!? We fans often expect athletes to be supermen and superwomen, often forgetting that they WILL GET TIRED! I love Alex's perspective. Tiredness for an athlete should never be viewed as a negative, especially if you are healthy, taking care of your body and mental health and putting in the work. What a mature perspective. Good for you, Alex!Rapunzel05-11-2026
