The International Olympic Committee has been warned against meeting with Peng Shuai in Beijing during the 2022 Winter Olympics.President Thomas Bach is expected to attend a dinner with the Chinese tennis star, who recently disappeared from the public eye.Peng was not heard from for almost three weeks after making sexual assault allegations against a former Chinese Community Party official on social media.During the period of silence from the 36-year-old, a dubious letter purportedly written by Peng was released by Chinese state media, stating she was neither missing nor unsafe.The letter, which opens with the line "Hello everyone this is Peng Shuai," stresses the sexual assault allegations made are not true and the tennis star is simply at home "resting."

After widespread concerns were raised about the wellbeing of Peng, the former doubles world number one was suddenly photographed in public again. Additionally, she appeared on a video call with IOC President Bach, where she also insisted she was safe and well.

Last week, spectators at the Australian Open sported "Where is Peng Shuai?" t-shirts to help keep conversation about the Chinese tennis star flowing. 

In a perhaps well-timed announcement, the IOC recently revealed a meeting with Peng had been arranged to take place in Beijing this month.

Peng Shuai

Peng and Bach are scheduled to meet over dinner during the Winter Olympics but Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran, the executive director of Army of Survivors, has warned the IOC against going ahead with the meeting.

Army of Survivors is a survivor-founded organisation, which was established in the wake of the Larry Nassar USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal. 

"Not only is it a terrible idea, it is also a dangerous idea," Rivers-Cochran admitted. "It is a highly inappropriate move that fails to consider the effects of trauma and will ultimately be retraumatising.

"To think that Peng Shuai has the right or the ability to speak freely to consent to this request without pressure is misguided at best."

Peng Shuai

Global concerns have been raised over whether Peng is being censored following the allegations she made against former Vice Premier Zhang Ghaoli. 

WTA CEO Steve Simon recently exchanged email interactions with Peng, but was not satisfied she was responding without being monitored.

Peng has since fully retracted the accusations made against Ghaoli, despite her social media post being more than 1,500 words long and revealing details of their on-and-off relationship. 

"I think it is a poor move from the IOC as it perpetuates their inaction over her initial disclosure," Rivers-Cochran admitted. "Even if a survivor retracts, there is usually a reason behind it, a threat etc.

"The IOC are not considering the effects of control around sexual assault."

There is no set date for when Peng and the IOC are scheduled to meet, but the Beijing Games get underway on February 4th, and will run until February 20th.