Damning Photo Resurfaces Of IOC Boss And Peng Shuai's Alleged Attacker

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has come under fire after an old photo of Thomas Bach and Peng Shuai's alleged attacked resurfaced online.

Bach is currently the president of the IOC and recently conducted the world-first video interview with Peng following her disappearance.

PA

The tennis star went missing a few weeks back just a matter of days after she publicly accused a former leading Communist Party official of sexual assault.

Since them, the public has rallied together to find Peng with a number of high-profile figures joining the search.

Earlier this week, nearly three weeks since her initial disappearance, Peng attended a video call with IOC boss Bach to confirm that she is "safe and well".

She even "thanked the IOC for its concern about her well-being".

When pictures emerged of the video call, concerned fans let out a collective sigh of relief, but an old photograph has now cast further doubt over everyone's initial perceptions.

In the picture, IOC boss Bach - the same man who recently made first contact with Peng since her disappearance - can be seen shaking hands with China's former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli who is the man accused of sexually assaulting Peng.

When the image surfaced on social media, fans immediately began questioning the entire video call and whether it was legit.

Even when news of the video call broke, the World Tennis Association (WTA) was skeptical.

"It remains unclear if she is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own, without coercion or external interference," WTA boss Steve Simon said.

IOC

"This video alone is insufficient.

"I have been clear about what needs to happen and our relationship with China is at a crossroads."

There has been mounting pressure from various human rights groups as well as the public for Chinese authorities to carry out further investigations into both Peng's disappearance and how it has been handled by a number of leading global organisations.

From the fishy letter allegedly written by Peng herself to the recently-released video, it seems people still aren't sure what to believe.

Topics: IOC, Tennis, Tennis news, Australia

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry