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FILE - China's Peng Shuai reacts during her first round singles match against Japan's Nao Hibino at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 21, 2020. The head of the women’s professional tennis tour announced Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, that all WTA tournaments would be suspended in China because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former high-ranking government official in that country of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)
IOC unable to give certainties amid concern for Peng Shuai

Dec. 07, 2021 08:40 PM EST

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai reacts during a tennis match in Beijing, China on Oct. 6, 2009. When Peng disappeared from public view this month after accusing a senior Chinese politician of sexual assault, it caused an international uproar. But back in China, Peng is just one of several people, activists and accusers alike, who have been hustled out of view, charged with crimes or trolled and silenced online for speaking out about the harassment, violence and discrimination women face every day. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Women's tennis tour suspends China events over Peng concerns

By Howard Fendrich Dec. 01, 2021 02:49 PM EST

World Athletics: 'Disturbing' level of abuse on social media

By Eddie Pells Nov. 25, 2021 11:45 AM EST
Nearly three out of every 20 track and field athletes whose social media feeds were monitored in a study at the Tokyo Olympics were subject to abusive posts,...

A coach teaches children how to serve the tennis ball near the Diamond Court, background, in Beijing, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021. According to photos released by the organizer, missing tennis star Peng Shuai reappeared in public Sunday at a youth tournament in the court compound in Beijing, as the ruling Communist Party tried to quell fears abroad while suppressing information in China about Peng after she accused a senior leader of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Olympic officials: Chinese tennis star Peng says she is safe

By Joe Mcdonald Nov. 20, 2021 10:38 PM EST

Peng Shuai of China wipes her face during the women's singles match against Samantha Stosur of Australia on the second day at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, on July 3, 2018. China's Foreign Ministry is sticking to its line that it isn't aware of the controversy surrounding tennis professional Peng Shuai, who disappeared after accusing a former top official of sexually assaulting her. A ministry spokesperson said Friday that the matter was not a diplomatic question and that he was not aware of the situation. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)
Photos of missing Chinese tennis star posted online

Nov. 20, 2021 08:06 PM EST

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian responds during the daily media presser in Beijing, China, Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. China's Foreign Ministry on Friday stuck to its line that it wasn't aware of the controversy surrounding tennis professional Peng Shuai, who disappeared after accusing a former top official of sexually assaulting her. (AP Photo/Liu Zheng)
China says 'not aware' of tennis player Peng Shuai issue

Nov. 19, 2021 05:54 AM EST

FILE - Peng Shuai of China returns a ball during the semifinal match against Shahar Peer of Israel, unseen, in the Guangzhou WTA Tour in Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong province Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. An email purportedly from Chinese professional tennis player Shuai that a Chinese state media outlet posted on Twitter has increased concerns about her safety as the sport's biggest stars and others abroad call for information about her well-being and whereabouts since her accusation about two weeks ago that she was sexually assaulted by a former top government official. (AP Photo, File)
Doubts over China tennis star's email raise safety concerns

By Huizhong Wu Nov. 18, 2021 07:29 AM EST

FILE - China's Shuai Peng plays a shot against Romania's Sorana Cirstea during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France. Tuesday, May 30, 2017. Chinese authorities have squelched virtually all online discussion of sexual assault accusations apparently made by the Chinese professional tennis star against a former top government official, showing how sensitive the ruling Communist Party is to such charges. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)
State media release attributed to Peng raises WTA concerns

Nov. 17, 2021 02:34 AM EST

Simona Halep, of Romania, tosses her racket as she plays Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
2-time major champ Simona Halep, coach Darren Cahill split

By The Associated Press Sep. 22, 2021 06:14 PM EDT

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, file photo, Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli of Malaysia competes in the men's shot put F20 final during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Games at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. Zolkefli appeared to have won gold in the shot put in the F20 class. But after the victory on Tuesday, he was disqualified because he had shown up late for the competition. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
Malaysian shot putter disqualified after winning gold medal

By Stephen Wade Sep. 01, 2021 02:29 AM EDT

Lorenzo Patta and Eseosa Desalu, right, of Italy celebrate after taking the gold medal in the final of the men's 4 x 100-meter relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Astonish the world: Italy keeps surprising on Olympic track

By Andrew Dampf Aug. 07, 2021 12:07 AM EDT

United States' Erik Shoji reacts during the men's volleyball preliminary round pool B match between United States and Russian Olympic Committee at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
In Tokyo, social platforms help the Pandemic Olympics shine

By Jenna Fryer Aug. 05, 2021 03:16 AM EDT

Ilona Maher of the United States is tackled by Britain's Helena Rowland in their women's rugby sevens quarterfinal match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)
Social media stars: A glance at Olympians who went big

By Syd Fryer Aug. 05, 2021 03:14 AM EDT

Germany's Nike Lorenz wears a rainbow emblazoned shin guard as she passes the ball during a women's field hockey match against India at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Athletes fight limits on endorsements at Tokyo Olympics

By James Ellingworth Aug. 04, 2021 10:27 AM EDT

Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya has assuringly landed in an Austrian airline aircraft at Schwechat International Airport in Vienna Austria, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021. Tsimanouskaya plans to seek refuge in Europe after accusing team officials of trying to force her to leave the Tokyo Games early. (AP Photo/Lisa Leutner)
Belarus Olympic runner who feared going home lands in Poland

By Vladimir Isachenkov And David Keyton Aug. 04, 2021 04:54 AM EDT

FILE In this file photo taken on Friday, July 9, 2021, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, left, presents the national flag to the captain of Belarus National Olympic team Ivan Tikhon ahead of the Summer Olympics Games in Tokyo, Minsk, Belarus. Lukashenko, who has a keen interest in sports and served as the head of the Belarus National Olympic Committee for nearly a quarter-century before handing over the post to his older son in February, has sternly warned the country's Olympic athletes that they better show high performance. (Maxim Guchek/BelTA Pool Photo via AP, File)
EXPLAINER: What is behind Belarus athlete's Olympics crisis?

By Yuras Karmanau And Vladimir Isachenkov Aug. 04, 2021 03:47 AM EDT

Wojciech Nowicki, of Poland, competes in the final of the men's hammer throw at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Olympics Latest: World champ Dutch out in women's handball

Aug. 03, 2021 07:59 PM EDT

Yulimar Rojas, of Venezuela, competes in the final of the women's triple jump at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Olympics Latest: Belarus runner says team forcing departure

Jul. 31, 2021 09:18 PM EDT

Jessica Fox of Australia competes in the Women's C1 of the Canoe Slalom at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Condom used to repair Jessica Fox's canoe at Tokyo Olympics

Jul. 30, 2021 10:37 AM EDT

Jessica O'Beirne, right, interviews Mandy Mohamed, an artistic gymnast from Egypt, after the women's artistic gymnastic qualifications at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Many in the world of gymnastics have a love-hate relationship with their noisy, often noxious, corner of the internet that they call the gymternet. O'Beirne started her podcast in 2012 because she didn’t like how mainstream media covered the sport. Women athletes were often infantilized and presented as objects without agency. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The 'gymternet': Gymnastics' devoted, sometimes toxic fans

By Claire Galofaro Jul. 30, 2021 07:52 AM EDT