IOC ‘not in position to decide’ if investigation into Peng Shuai needed

International Olympic Committee spokesperson Mark Adams said it was not in a position to decide if there should be an investigation into Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai’s seemingly retracted sexual assault allegations.

Shuai described reports she accused a high-ranking Chinese official of sexual assault as a “huge misunderstanding”.

The former doubles world number one said in a social media post that she was forced to have sex with former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli.

Her post was swiftly deleted and her subsequent silence raised fears over her safety.

Sign up to our free newsletters by clicking here