Thomas Bach
Reporters use smartphones to film Yao Ming, head of the Chinese Basketball Association and Ice Snow Sports Promotion Ambassador, left, as he speaks during a Linjia 7 Salon afternoon tea with journalists at Beijing International Club in Beijing, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. Former NBA great Yao Ming said Monday he and others had a pleasant talk when they met last month with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, whose disappearance after making a sexual assault allegation against a former government official raised international concern. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Former NBA great Yao Ming addresses Peng Shuai, Olympics

By Ken Moritsugu Jan. 17, 2022 06:22 AM EST

FILE - Staff members rehearse a victory ceremony at the Beijing Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China on Jan. 3, 2022. The Beijing Winter Olympics are fraught with potential hazards for major sponsors, who are trying to remain quiet about China's human rights record while protecting at least $1 billion they've paid to the IOC. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
IOC major sponsors mostly muted in runup to Beijing Olympics

By Stephen Wade Jan. 11, 2022 12:11 AM EST

FILE - Francois Carrard, FIFA Reform Committee Chairman, attends a news conference at the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Dec. 3, 2015. The former longtime IOC director general Francois Carrard has died, the Olympic body said Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. He was 83. The International Olympic Committee said it was “deeply saddened” to learn of Carrard’s death. The cause was not specified. (Walter Bieri/Keystone via AP, file)
François Carrard, legal doyen of Olympic sports, dies at 83

Jan. 10, 2022 04:05 AM EST

FILE - North Korea's Hwang Chung Gum and South Korea's Won Yun-jong carry the unification flag during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea on Feb. 9, 2018. North Korea said Friday, Jan. 7, 2022 it would skip next month’s Beijing Olympics because of the COVID-19 pandemic and "hostile forces' moves," a largely redundant statement since the country has already been banned from the Games by the IOC. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Banned from the Olympics by IOC, NKorea puts blame elsewhere

By Hyung-Jin Kim Jan. 06, 2022 11:48 PM EST

Protesters hold Tibetan flags during a protest against Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics by activists of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe front of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021. (Jean-Guy Python/Keystone via AP)
Olympic leaders criticize FIFA as activists target meeting

By Graham Dunbar Dec. 11, 2021 10:12 AM EST

FILE - President of Brazil's Olympic Committee Carlos Arthur Nuzman, left, and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, right, visit Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 22, 2014. Nuzman, the head of the Brazilian Olympic Committee for more than two decades, was sentenced to 30 years and 11 months in jail for allegedly buying votes for Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympics. The ruling by Judge Marcelo Bretas became public Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Boxing among 3 Olympic sports in danger of losing 2028 spot

By Graham Dunbar Dec. 09, 2021 01:13 PM EST

FILE - China's Peng Shuai reacts during her first round singles match against Japan's Nao Hibino at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 21, 2020. IOC President Thomas Bach can't escape repeated questions about Peng and suspicions around two video calls the IOC has had with her. The questions keep coming. And Bach has acknowledged the situation is “fragile.” (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)
Even amid boycott, IOC still hit with Peng Shuai questions

By Stephen Wade Dec. 08, 2021 10:33 PM EST

A visitor to the Shougang Park walks past the a sculpture for the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. China on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, threatened to take "firm countermeasures" if the U.S. proceeds with a diplomatic boycott of February's Beijing Winter Olympic Games. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Diplomatic boycotts, Peng case test IOC before Beijing Games

By Graham Dunbar Dec. 08, 2021 03:38 PM EST

FILE - China's Peng Shuai reacts during her first round singles match against Japan's Nao Hibino at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 21, 2020. The head of the women’s professional tennis tour announced Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, that all WTA tournaments would be suspended in China because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former high-ranking government official in that country of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)
IOC unable to give certainties amid concern for Peng Shuai

Dec. 07, 2021 08:40 PM EST

FILE - A police officer wearing a face mask and goggles to protect against COVID-19, stands near a poster of a skier on the wall at a train station in Zhangjiakou in northern China's Hebei Province, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. China is threatening to take “firm countermeasures" if the U.S. proceeds with a diplomatic boycott of February's Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday accused U.S. politicians of grandstanding over the issue of not sending dignitaries to attend the events that China hopes will showcase its economic development. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
Column: US dignitaries shun Olympics. What about sponsors?

By Jim Litke Dec. 07, 2021 03:57 AM EST

FILE - Participants wave flags with the logos of 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics before a launch ceremony to reveal the motto for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing on Sept. 17, 2021. The Beijing Winter Olympics open in just under two months and are now the target to a diplomatic boycott by the United States with others likely to follow. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
EXPLAINER: Why does Beijing have the Olympics again?

By Stephen Wade Dec. 06, 2021 09:05 PM EST

FILE - Peng Shuai of China reacts after scoring a point against Monica Niculescu of Romania during their women's singles match of the China Open tennis tournament at the Diamond Court in Beijing, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017. The head of the women’s professional tennis tour announced Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, that all WTA tournaments would be suspended in China because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former high-ranking government official in that country of sexual assault.(AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)
Column: Women's tennis leads lonely fight for human rights

By Paul Newberry Dec. 02, 2021 06:11 PM EST

FILE - China's Peng Shuai reacts during her first round singles match against Japan's Nao Hibino at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 21, 2020. The head of the women’s professional tennis tour announced Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, that all WTA tournaments would be suspended in China because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former high-ranking government official in that country of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)
IOC says it had 2nd video call with tennis player Peng Shuai

Dec. 02, 2021 01:19 PM EST

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai reacts during a tennis match in Beijing, China on Oct. 6, 2009. When Peng disappeared from public view this month after accusing a senior Chinese politician of sexual assault, it caused an international uproar. But back in China, Peng is just one of several people, activists and accusers alike, who have been hustled out of view, charged with crimes or trolled and silenced online for speaking out about the harassment, violence and discrimination women face every day. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Women's tennis tour suspends China events over Peng concerns

By Howard Fendrich Dec. 01, 2021 02:49 PM EST

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai reacts during her women's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on Oct. 5, 2016. When Peng disappeared from public view this month after accusing a senior Chinese politician of sexual assault, it caused an international uproar. But back in China, Peng is just one of several people, activists and accusers alike, who have been hustled out of view, charged with crimes or trolled and silenced online for speaking out about the harassment, violence and discrimination women face every day. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
WTA remains "concerned' about Peng's ability to speak freely

By Stephen Wade Nov. 27, 2021 10:37 PM EST

FILE - China's Peng Shuai waves after losing to Canada Eugenie Bouchard in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 15, 2019. Out of public view for almost three weeks, Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai appeared Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 in a live video call with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
Australian Open Women Singles

Nov. 22, 2021 03:42 AM EST

FILE - China's Peng Shuai waves after losing to Canada Eugenie Bouchard in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 15, 2019. Out of public view for almost three weeks, Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai appeared Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 in a live video call with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
IOC call with Chinese tennis star Peng raises more questions

By Stephen Wade Nov. 22, 2021 03:39 AM EST

FILE - China's Peng Shuai reacts during her first round singles match against Japan's Nao Hibino at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 21, 2020. The editor of a Communist Party newspaper posted a video online that he said showed missing tennis star Peng Shuai watching a match Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 as the ruling party tried to quell fears abroad while suppressing information in China about Peng after she accused a senior leader of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)
IOC says Peng Shuai has told Olympic officials she is safe

Nov. 21, 2021 12:27 PM EST

FILE - China's Peng Shuai reacts during her first round singles match against Japan's Nao Hibino at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 21, 2020. The editor of a Communist Party newspaper posted a video online that he said showed missing tennis star Peng Shuai watching a match Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 as the ruling party tried to quell fears abroad while suppressing information in China about Peng after she accused a senior leader of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)
Australian Open Women Singles

Nov. 20, 2021 10:48 PM EST

A coach teaches children how to serve the tennis ball near the Diamond Court, background, in Beijing, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021. According to photos released by the organizer, missing tennis star Peng Shuai reappeared in public Sunday at a youth tournament in the court compound in Beijing, as the ruling Communist Party tried to quell fears abroad while suppressing information in China about Peng after she accused a senior leader of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Olympic officials: Chinese tennis star Peng says she is safe

By Joe Mcdonald Nov. 20, 2021 10:38 PM EST