Over the weekend, the International Olympic Committee drew criticism for saying it was reassured about the safety of the Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, whose whereabouts have been a mystery since she accused a former government official of sexual assault. The I.O.C.’s statement, which didn’t mention the accusations, did little to quell the controversy — and now, a little more than two months before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, the event’s sponsors face tough questions of their own.
The I.O.C.’s announcement didn’t convince many — and neither have Beijing’s assertions. The Olympic organizers said they held a 30-minute video call with Peng, the latest in a string of seemingly stage-managed appearances by the tennis star that have done little to assuage critics.