US Olympic board member pushes quiet diplomacy in Peng case

FILE - China's Peng Shuai serves to Japan's Nao Hibino during their first round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 21, 2020. The stand the women's professional tennis tour is taking in China over concern about Grand Slam doubles champion Peng Shuai's well-being could cost the WTA millions of dollars and end up being unique among sports bodies. The International Olympic Committee is preparing to host the Winter Games in Beijing in two months and has held calls with Peng to show she is doing well — but never raised the matter of the sexual assault allegations she made against a former Chinese government official. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)

FILE - International Tennis Federation President David Haggerty speaks at the draw of the World Group Semifinal Fed Cup matches, in Lucerne, Switzerland, Friday, April 15, 2016. A member of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s board of directors is among those pushing the IOC’s call for behind-the-scenes negotiations to ensure the wellbeing of tennis player Peng Shuai. ITF president David Haggerty, whose position on the USOPC board helped him also receive a spot on the International Olympic Committee, told BBC that the ITF does not “want to punish a billion people” to resolve Peng’s case. (Urs Flueeler/Keystone via AP, File)