WTA Tour set to return to China in 2023 following suspension over Peng Shuai situation
In a bid to avoid a repeat of the scandal that saw the Peking University team suspended in June, all 11 members of the Chinese women’s team at the 2016 Olympic Games will return to the country in March this year for the 2020 WTA Tour Finals, according to the Chinese Tennis Association.
The ban on the Chinese women playing at the Olympics was imposed by the International Tennis Federation after video footage released by the South Korean news website JoongAng Ilbo showed Peng Shuai, her coach, asking a journalist to pay her a bribe.
The WTA’s disciplinary committee found the comments violated the organization’s policy to provide “fair play.”
But the full case remains unresolved and the WTA has decided not to send the Chinese women to Rio.
“In light of current situation that we are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal disciplinary procedures, we have decided not to send the Chinese National women’s team to Rio and the tournament in New Haven as originally planned in March,” the WTA said in a statement.
WTA will not send Chinese women to Rio following its decision to return 11 members of women’s team from China, for 2020 WTA tour Finals, which have been called off after being suspended due to scandal involving Peng Shuai
The WTA also said it would host the 2020 season finale and Shanghai Masters, but there was no further detail given.
‘Not happy with the outcome of the internal proceedings’
The original plan was to return the women in March and host the WTA Tour finals in April-May.
But the WTA announced the revised plan after its board of directors had been deliberating on the situation, which led to the decision to return the women to China later in the year.
The WTA has