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Peng Shuai: China says tennis star case maliciously hyped up – BBC News

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Handout via Reuters

China has said the controversy surrounding tennis star Peng Shuai has been “maliciously hyped up”, in its most direct response to the issue yet.

Ms Peng disappeared from the public eye for almost three weeks after making sexual assault allegations against China’s former vice premier, triggering widespread international concern.

She has since re-appeared, but questions remain over her wellbeing.

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On Tuesday, China’s foreign ministry said it was “not a diplomatic matter”.

“I believe you have all seen that she recently attended some public events and had a video call [with the president of the International Olympic Committee],” spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

“I think some people should stop deliberately and maliciously hyping [the issue] up, let alone politicise this issue,” he said.

Ms Peng, 35, is one of China’s top tennis players. In a 1,600-word post on Chinese social media platform Weibo earlier this month, she said former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli – who is 75 – had “forced” her to have sexual relations with him.

“Even if it’s just striking a stone with a pebble, or a moth attacking a flame and courting self destruction, I will tell the truth about you,” she wrote.

It was the first time such an allegation had been made against one of China’s senior political leaders. Mr Zhang has not responded to the allegations.

After sharing her post on Weibo, the tennis player was not heard or seen publicly for several weeks. Her safety became a matter of international concern, with prominent players including Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka joining calls from governments and tennis officials demanding to know she was safe.

The outcry prompted Chinese state media to release a series of photographs and videos that appeared to show all was well.

Over the weekend, Ms Peng had a video call with the head of the International Olympic Committee, after which a statement from the group said she had appeared safe and well. A state media journalist also posted a video clip he said was from Sunday that showed her smiling and standing with officials at a tennis tournament.

But concerns over Ms Peng’s safety and wellbeing remain.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has said the recent videos “don’t alleviate or address… concern about her wellbeing and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion”.

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Human Rights Watch criticised the IOC over the video call, saying its “collaboration” with Chinese authorities on Ms Peng’s reappearance “undermines its expressed commitment to human rights, including the rights and safety of athletes”.

There have also been calls from athletes for a special delegation of international organisations and human rights experts to meet Ms Peng and assess her safety.

On Sunday, a rally was staged by a group of Chinese feminists in New York in support of Ms Peng.

Event organiser Crystal Chen told the BBC that while the released videos and photos appear to show Ms Peng “physically unharmed”, she was “not truly free”.

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Canucks place goalie Thatcher Demko on long-term injured list – CBC.ca

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The Vancouver Canucks have placed all-star goalie Thatcher Demko on the long-term injured reserve list retroactively.

“It’s just cap related,” coach Rick Tocchet said after practice Wednesday. “We get some cap relief, that’s all it is.” 

The 28-year-old netminder has been considered week to week since being sidelined with a lower-body injury midway through Vancouver’s 5-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets on March 9.

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That injury designation hasn’t changed, Tocchet said.

Demko boasts a 34-18-2 record this season, with a .917 save percentage, a 2.47 goals-against average and five shutouts.

Casey DeSmith has taken over the starting job for Vancouver, going 3-2-1 since Demko’s injury. He has a .899 save percentage on the season with a 2.73 goals-against average and one shutout. 

The earliest Demko could be back in the Canucks’ lineup is April 6 against the Kings in Los Angeles.

He’s expected to be a key piece as Vancouver (45-19-8) prepares for its first playoff appearance since the COVID-shortened 2019-20 campaign. 

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin also announced Wednesday that the club has called up forward Arshdeep Bains from the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League. 

“I’d like to see where [Bains is] at,” Tocchet said, noting he isn’t sure whether the 23-year-old winger will slot into the lineup when the Canucks host the Dallas Stars on Thursday. 

WATCH | Bains makes NHL debut

Surrey, B.C.’s Arshdeep Bains makes Canucks debut

1 month ago

Duration 2:20

Arshdeep Bains from Surrey, B.C., has made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. As CBC’s Joel Ballard reports, it’s been a hard-fought journey for the hometown kid to the big leagues.

Bains played five games for the NHL team in February before being sent back to Abbotsford. 

“He went down, he’s done a couple of things that we like, and he’s got some speed,” Tocchet said. 

Vancouver may get another forward back in the lineup Thursday. 

Dakota Joshua practised in a full-contact jersey on Wednesday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury in Vancouver’s 4-2 win over the Blackhawks in Chicago on Feb. 13. 

The physical winger, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, has a career-high 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) this season.

Sitting out injured “hasn’t been fun,” Joshua said.

“It feels like forever,” he said. “But at this point, that’s behind me and I’m moving forward.”

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Senators score 5 in 1st, cruise past Sabres – NHL.com

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“I thought that we were ready to go,” Ottawa coach Jacques Martin said. “We got some pucks at the net, we got people at the net. Took advantage of our opportunities and, I think, built a nice lead. And then I thought, in the third period, we continued again. Our goaltending was good. Made some key saves. But I thought we shut them down in the third period good.”

Shane Pinto had a goal and three assists, and Brady Tkachuk, Boris Katchouk, Jakob Chychrun and Drake Batherson each had a goal and an assist for the Senators (31-36-4), who have won three in a row. Korpisalo made 34 saves.

“If you want to win, you need balance,” Pinto said. “And we had that tonight and it’s going to be big for the back-to-back tomorrow (against the Chicago Blackhawks) to have that same thing. So, going to need all the guys on board.”

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JJ Peterka and Connor Clifton scored for the Sabres (34-34-5), who have lost four of six. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed four goals on nine shots before he was replaced by Devon Levi, who made 31 saves in relief.

“We wanted, I guess, to play as individuals,” Clifton said. “I’m disappointed we let ‘Upie’ down, he’s the heart and soul of this team. He’s kept us in so many games, and just to not show up and play that careless style, give them freebies all over the place. … Yeah, obviously, the first 20 really dictated the rest of the game.”

Artem Zub gave Ottawa a 1-0 lead at 2:37 of the first period. He stuffed in a loose puck on the goal line after Katchouk’s shot was redirected by Mark Kastelic between Luukkonen’s pads.

Katchouk made it 2-0 at 4:56, tipping Parker Kelly’s shot from the top of the right face-off circle past Luukkonen.

“It’s keeping the consistency with good effort, right habits,” Katchouk said. “The small things matter so much in this game. And obviously, it worked out tonight with the tip. But kudos to my linemates. ‘Kels’ and ‘Kassy,’ they worked hard to get the puck as well. Those two battle hard every night as well. We feed off each other, and it’s good to play with them.”

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Vasilevskiy stops 23 as surging Lightning beat Bruins – Sportsnet.ca

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