Peng Shuai

🎾 , the former no.1-ranked tennis doubles player who disappeared from the public eye after posting on Weibo that she was sexually assaulted by a senior Chinese bureaucrat, gave an interview to the French sports daily L’Équipe, saying the post was an "enormous misunderstanding" and concerns over her wellbeing were "exaggerated". She then announced she was retiring from tennis.

• Behind the scenes: The interview was conducted on the condition that L’Équipe was to submit questions in advance and publish Peng's comments verbatim, while she was accompanied by the Chinese Olympic Committee’s chief of staff, who also acted as her translator — arousing further suspicion.