Title: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Beijing should immediately guarantee the safety and freedom of tennis star Peng Shuai.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that, by cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) failed to adhere to its own human rights commitments and protect the free speech of Olympic athletes.
The resolution also expresses that, in an effort to regain lost public confidence, the IOC should call on the Chinese Communist Party to (1) open an independent and transparent investigation into the allegations of Peng Shuai; (2) publicly commit to holding sexual violence abusers accountable; (3) cease all censorship of reporting and discussions of Peng's case; and (4) allow Peng to leave China if she so desires, and not retaliate against her family members who remain in China.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 837 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 837

     Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
   International Olympic Committee failed to adhere to its own human 
                          rights commitments.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 3, 2021

    Ms. Wexton (for herself and Mr. Waltz) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
   International Olympic Committee failed to adhere to its own human 
                          rights commitments.

Whereas, on November 2, 2021, 3-time Olympian Peng Shuai went missing after she 
        said in a since-deleted post on Chinese social media site Weibo that she 
        had been sexually assaulted and forced into a sexual relationship with 
        Zhang Gaoli, who was the Chinese Communist Party's Vice Premier from 
        2013 to 2018;
Whereas Chinese Communist Party authorities have imposed a media and internet 
        blackout of discussions of Peng's case, and the words ``tennis'' and the 
        surname ``Peng'' have been censored online within the People's Republic 
        of China;
Whereas, on November 14, 2021, after Peng had not been seen or heard from for 12 
        days, Women's Tennis Association (WTA) CEO Steve Simon requested a 
        ``full and transparent'' investigation into Peng's allegations;
Whereas the hashtag ``#WhereIsPengShuai'' trended across social media worldwide, 
        with the exception of the People's Republic of China where it is 
        censored;
Whereas, on November 17, 2021, the WTA received a statement purporting to be 
        from Peng, recanting her abuse claim and saying ``everything is fine'';
Whereas, in response, WTA CEO Steve Simon said the response ``released today by 
        Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to 
        her safety and whereabouts'';
Whereas, in response, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in a 
        statement that it was ``encouraged by assurance that she is safe'';
Whereas, on November 19 and 20, 2021, photos and videos of Peng appearing in her 
        home, in a restaurant, and at a youth tennis event in Beijing emerged on 
        Twitter accounts affiliated with government-run media, and at the same 
        time, Peng has not spoken directly with the media or the WTA;
Whereas, on November 19, 2021, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the 
        White House is ``deeply concerned'' over Peng's disappearance and seeks 
        ``independent and verifiable proof'' of her location and condition;
Whereas, on November 19, 2021, Liz Throssell, the spokesperson of the United 
        Nations Human Rights office, told reporters ``. . . it would be 
        important to have proof of her whereabouts and wellbeing, and we would 
        urge that there be an investigation with full transparency into her 
        allegations of sexual assault'';
Whereas, on November 21, 2021, the IOC said in a statement that its President, 
        Thomas Bach, had a 30-minute video call with 3-time Olympian Peng Shuai, 
        joined by a Chinese sports official and an IOC official;
Whereas the statement said that, during the call, Peng appeared to be ``doing 
        fine'' and ``relaxed'', and said she ``would like to have her privacy 
        respected'';
Whereas the IOC did not explain how the video call with Peng had been organized, 
        given the difficulties other concerned parties have had reaching her;
Whereas, on November 30, 2021, IOC official Dick Pound in an interview with CNN 
        defended the Chinese Government's handling of the situation and said the 
        ``unanimous conclusion'' by IOC officials on the call is that Peng Shuai 
        is ``fine'';
Whereas the annual report of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China for 
        2020 finds that gender-based violence in the People's Republic of China 
        remains a serious issue, and highly publicized cases of sexual assault 
        continue to surface;
Whereas the IOC's acquiescence to the Chinese Communist Party regarding Peng's 
        sexual assault allegations and safety concerns diminish global demands 
        for the Chinese Communist Party to investigate Peng's allegations 
        through a transparent and comprehensive process;
Whereas the role of IOC leadership in collaborating with Chinese Communist Party 
        officials to cover up Peng Shuai's allegations of sexual assault and 
        disappearance call into question the organization's ability and 
        willingness to hold abusers accountable and protect athletes 
        participating in the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing; and
Whereas the IOC has provided the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 
        Olympic and Paralympic Games, controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, 
        approximately $890,00,000 ``to ease the financial burden on the host 
        cities'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) by cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party, the 
        International Olympic Committee (IOC) failed to adhere to its 
        own human rights commitments and protect the free speech of 
        Olympic athletes;
            (2) the IOC has once again failed to protect athletes from 
        sexual abuse and harassment, and should publicly commit to hold 
        sexual violence abusers accountable;
            (3) the IOC's conduct undermines the efforts by the United 
        States Government, human rights organizations, the Women's 
        Tennis Association, and other international bodies and 
        individuals to secure Peng Shuai's safety; and
            (4) in an effort to regain lost public confidence, the IOC 
        should call on the Chinese Communist Party to--
                    (A) open an independent and transparent 
                investigation into Peng's allegations;
                    (B) publicly commit to hold sexual violence abusers 
                accountable;
                    (C) cease all censorship of reporting and 
                discussions of Peng's case; and
                    (D) allow Peng to leave the People's Republic of 
                China if she so desires, and not retaliate against 
                family members remaining in the People's Republic of 
                China.
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