Report into abuse in British gymnastics is 'too little, too late'

MSN – AFP, 17 June 2022

An independent report revealed 'systemic' abuse within British gymnastics.
© EMMANUEL DUNAND

Recommendations made in a damning report into a toxic culture within British gymnastics are "too little, too late to change a culture of mistreatment", according to a campaign group representing athletes. 

The independent Whyte Review, commissioned in 2020 after a host of complaints from high-profile British gymnasts and published on Thursday, revealed "systemic" abuse in the sport. 

Safeguarding failures from junior to elite level were catalogued by lawyer Anne Whyte from more than 400 submissions, over half of which reported some form of emotional abuse, with nine percent involving sexual abuse. 

"I have concluded that gymnasts' well-being and welfare has not been at the centre of (governing body British Gymnastics') culture for much of the period of the review," she wrote. 

Despite a "genuine apology" from the new British Gymnastics chief executive Sarah Powell, those affected cast doubts on the ability of the organisation to implement change and said the review did not go far enough. 

Gymnasts for Change, which represents many of the athletes who have made allegations against British Gymnastics, said while it welcomed the review, "ultimately, the recommendations fall far short of what is needed". 

It added: "This is too little, too late to change a culture of mistreatment. Every day without holistic and wholesale change another gymnast is put at risk and these recommendations fall far short of the change needed." 

Whyte revealed horrific personal testimonies, including over-stretching to the extent a gymnast feared their legs would "snap", food and drink deprivation that led to eating disorders, and emotional abuse including ridiculing gymnasts who cried or needed to go to the lavatory. 

Whyte accused Powell's predecessor Jane Allen, who retired in December 2020, of a "lack of leadership" and presiding over an "organisational failure... to appreciate the central importance of athlete welfare", and said both British Gymnastics and UK Sport focused on medal success rather than athlete welfare. 

She called on the governing body to ensure its complaints system was "fit for purpose" and urged it to appoint both board members with specific expertise in safeguarding and a director of education with overall responsibility for the education of coaches and welfare officers. 

Powell said British Gymnastics accepted all the recommendations in the report and "will not shy away" from taking the steps required to restore confidence in the governing body and the sport as a whole. 

'Culture of fear' 

Four-time Olympic medallist Louis Smith said the governing body should be under no illusions that it had plenty of work ahead before it could rid itself of its association with a "culture of fear". 

Smith tweeted: "If you're wondering if the culture of fear is gone in British gymnastics, then take a look to see how many active competing GB gymnasts publicly support the Whyte review. 

"British gymnastics need to remember they don't own anyone and having an opinion isn't an attack!!" 

Earlier this month, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and other star US gymnasts filed a $1 billion claim against the FBI for alleged mishandling of the investigation into sexual abuse by predatory former team doctor Larry Nassar. 

Nassar, 58, is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting athletes while working as a sports medicine doctor at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. 

In May, a group of gymnasts filed a claim against Gymnastics Canada and the federation's provincial counterparts for having tolerated a climate of abuse and mistreatment for decades.

Four Moroccan women accuse French tycoon of sexual harassment

Yahoo – AFP, June 17, 2022 

Four women have pressed charges in Morocco against French insurance tycoon Jacques Bouthier, currently under arrest in Paris on charges of raping a minor, a rights group said Friday. 

Bouthier is accused of various acts of "people trafficking, sexual harassment and verbal and moral violence," between 2018 and this year, said Karima Salama, a lawyer from the Moroccan Association for the Rights of Victims (AMDV). 

"An enquiry has been opened and we have faith in the justice system," she said at a press conference in the northern port city of Tangiers, where the four alleged victims, aged from 26 to 28, had been employed by Bouthier's firm. 

Bouthier, 75 and one of France's richest men, is ex-CEO of insurance group Assu2000, later renamed Vilavi. 

Three of his Moroccan alleged victims told journalists on Friday about their experiences, using sanitary masks and dark glasses to hide their identities. 

"He asked to sleep with me and when I said no, he asked me to introduce him to a sister, a female cousin or a friend, saying he would give me a nice present in exchange," one said. 

The women said they had been sacked after refusing to "give in to harassment and blackmail" over their employment by Bouthier and other French and Moroccan executives. 

The women said they had faced repeated sexual harassment and intimidation as well as threats to their jobs, in a city where many struggle to find work. 

One said he had presented them to men working at the firm, telling them: 'If you bring in contracts, there will be beautiful Moroccan girls'. 

"Jacques Bouthier... believes that with his financial power he can get away with anything, in complete impunity," said AMDV chief Aicha Guellaa. 

Bouthier, was indicted on May 21 and arrested by Paris prosecutors after a preliminary investigation into accusations of people trafficking and rape of a minor. 

He is also being prosecuted for conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping in an organised gang and possession of child pornography.

Mexican mega-church leader sentenced for child sex abuse

Rfi.fr – AFP, 9 June 2022 

Naason Joaquin Garcia , head of the La Luz Del Mundo church which claims five
million followers worldwide, was accused of coercing underage girls into performing
sexual acts by telling them that going against his wishes would be acting against
God Al Seib POOL/AFP/File

Los Angeles (AFP) – The leader of a Mexican mega-church who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting three young girls was sentenced in Los Angeles on Wednesday to nearly 17 years in prison. 

But the ruling, following a plea deal Naason Joaquin Garcia struck with prosecutors last week, was met with anger by victims, who at an emotional hearing called for their abuser to face trial and the maximum possible sentence. 

One victim in court Wednesday condemned officials for "negotiating with this rapist" while another said in a statement read to the court that the justice system "failed us." 

Garcia, head of the La Luz Del Mundo church which claims five million followers worldwide, coerced underage girls into performing sexual acts by telling them that going against his wishes would be acting against God, prosecutors said. 

He was arrested at a Los Angeles airport in June 2019. An initial human trafficking and child rape case was thrown out on a technicality, and charges were re-filed. 

Last Friday, on the eve of his trial, the 53-year-old -- who claims to be the last apostle of Jesus, and had initially denied all wrongdoing -- pleaded guilty to felony crimes of sexual assault of three minors. 

These included forcible oral copulation and a lewd act upon a 15-year-old, but not counts of rape, extortion and child pornography. 

California attorney general Rob Bonta hailed the sentence as a "critical step forward for justice." 

"While it will never undo the harm and trauma he caused as the leader of La Luz del Mundo, this sentence makes it crystal clear that abusers -- no matter who they are -- will be held accountable," he said Wednesday. 

Still, Garcia's church continued to back its leader, issuing a statement Wednesday to "publicly express our support for the Apostle of Jesus Christ" and praising his "integrity, his conduct and his work." 

The Spanish-language statement said evidence against Garcia had been fabricated and that the leader had no choice but to strike a deal as he would not have received a "fair and just" trial. 

In court, one victim who said Garcia had stolen both her virginity and her faith begged the judge to "make sure that this man is put away for life." 

"How is this justice?" she asked.

Canada gymnasts break silence on abuses and sport's 'toxic culture'

France24 – AFP, 

Amelia Cline performs on the balance beam at a national competition in Winnipeg,
Canada, in 2002 Handout Amelia Cline/AFP

Montreal (AFP) – They excelled in the athletic spotlight, but their feats on the beam and bars masked a darker reality: Canadian gymnasts are taking legal action to denounce a "toxic" culture of physical, sexual and psychological abuse by the sport's top brass. 

Having tolerated the harm for decades, victims around the world have come forward in the wake of a US gymnastics scandal that broke in 2015 before spreading abroad, including to Britain where athletes launched a similar legal action last year. 

As a child gymnast in Vancouver, Amelia Cline dreamed of Olympic glory. In her teens, the elite athlete devoted thirty hours a week to training. 

"Unfortunately the early years of my gymnastics days, as positive as they were, they've been somewhat wiped out by those last three years that were so brutal," the former gymnast, now 32, told AFP. 

She and other athletes on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Gymnastics Canada and several provincial federations for tolerating a climate of abuse and mistreatment for decades. 

"The lawsuit is essentially designed to hopefully hold these institutions accountable for systemic psychological, emotional, physical and sexual violence," she said. 

At the end of March, a group of more than 70 present and former gymnasts published an open letter to Sports Canada denouncing a "toxic culture and abusive practices that persist within Canadian gymnastics." 

The number of signatories has since grown to more than 400, with the group calling for an independent investigation to shed light on the sport's problems. 

The "general public really doesn't understand the magnitude of the abuses that are occurring at the gyms," said Kim Shore, a former gymnast and spokeswoman for Gymnast For Change Canada, who says her daughter has also suffered mistreatment in the sport. 

Micheline Calmy-Rey, president of the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation created in 2019 in response to the scandal said "it seems logical to us that an independent investigation be conducted." 

Gymnastics Canada has not yet responded to a request for comment about the lawsuit by AFP. 

'Grilled about my weight'

In a blog post, Cline says that at 14, she weighed 85 pounds (38.5 kg) and was "grilled about my weight on a weekly basis." 

Photo courtesy of Amelia Cline shows her performing a 2002-2003 balance beam move
during training in Coquitlam, Canada Handout Amelia Cline/AFP

Some 20 years after giving up gymnastics, she says she still suffers from the "long-term effects" of mistreatment that left her with chronic pain and made it hard for her to maintain healthy eating habits. 

Like many of her peers, she laments a "culture of fear and silence" in gymnastics clubs across the country. "You don't question what (the coaches) are doing. They're the experts, and they're the ones who are going to take you to the Olympics," she explained. 

"I was always afraid of my coaches," another gymnast told AFP on condition of anonymity. "I loved gymnastics. I loved travelling. I loved being with the other girls, but I was so afraid of them." 

She described a powerful loneliness felt by child gymnasts, whose parents were often banned from practices. Very young athletes were even told never to speak about their training. 

"Many times the kids are told what happens in the gym stays in the gym," recalled Shore. 

She says gymnastics has been corrupted by a "culture of control and dominance" over athletes. 

"The provincial bodies are made up of individuals who are conflicted," she said, explaining that "in some provinces, the chair of the board is also the head coach of a gymnastics club." 

Now that a claim has been filed and the problems have been exposed, Cline and her lawyers believe that the number of plaintiffs will increase "significantly." 

Cline just wishes her nightmare will never be experienced by other young gymnasts. 

"There's really no other mechanism within Canada to actually hold institutions like this accountable except through the legal system," she said.

Probe finds ex-pope Benedict failed to act in German abuse cases

Yahoo – AFP, January 20, 2022 

Ex-pope Benedict has "strictly" denied any responsibility after a report a report
said he failed to stop four priests accused of child sex abuse (AFP/Sven Hoppe)

Former pope Benedict XVI knowingly failed to take action to stop four priests accused of child sex abuse in Munich in the 1980s, according to a damning independent report published Thursday that risks shattering the ex-pontiff's reputation. 

The report by law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl (WSW) was commissioned by the archdiocese of Munich and Freising to examine how abuse cases were dealt with between 1945 and 2019. 

Ex-pope Benedict -- whose civilian name is Josef Ratzinger -- was the archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982. 

Benedict's spokesman Georg Gaenswein said the ex-pontiff had responded by expressing "shock and shame at the abuse of minors committed by clerics" but must examine the text, of which he had no knowledge until this afternoon. 

Benedict, 94 -- whose civilian name is Josef Ratzinger -- in 2013 became the first pope to step down from the role in 600 years and now lives a secluded life in a former convent inside the grounds of the Vatican. 

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni also said it intended to examine the report, "the contents of which are not currently known". 

Two of the cases where Benedict allegedly failed to act involved clergymen who had committed several proven acts of abuse but were allowed to continue with pastoral duties, according to WSW lawyer Martin Pusch. 

Ex-pope Benedict failed to act in four child abuse cases, says German law firm

In one case, a now notorious paedophile priest named Peter Hullermann was transferred to Munich from Essen in western Germany where he had been accused of abusing an 11-year-old boy. 

Hullermann was reassigned to pastoral duties despite his history and continued to reoffend for many years. 

'Defensive attitude' 

The lawyers said that "to our surprise", Benedict had denied attending the meeting in 1980 at which the decision was made to admit Hullermann, despite being quoted directly in the minutes of the meeting. 

Any interest in the abuse victims was "not recognisable" in Benedict, Pusch said. 

He also said Benedict had initially shown a "defensive attitude" when responding to questions for the investigation. However, he later changed his stance and gave a detailed written statement. 

The report found indications of sexually abusive behaviour in 235 people it investigated, including 173 priests. There were a total of at least 497 victims. 

The lawyers also accused Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the current archbishop of Munich and Freising, of failing to act in two cases of suspected abuse. 

Benedict, 94, now lives a secluded life in a former convent inside the grounds
of the Vatican (AFP/OSSERVATORE ROMANO)

Marx had last year offered Pope Francis his resignation over the church's "institutional and systemic failure" in its handling of child sex abuse scandals. 

However, Pope Francis rejected his offer, urging the cardinal known for his reforms to stay and help shape change in the Catholic Church. 

Marx on Thursday apologised to the victims on behalf of the archdiocese, which will respond in detail next week, and also said he was "shocked and ashamed" by the findings. 

'Frightening insights' 

The reformist Catholic group "Wir sind Kirche" (We are Church) said the report offered "frightening insights into the lack of sense of responsibility of clerical office holders". 

It called on Benedict to "face up to his ecclesiastical and moral responsibility instead of making more and more denials that are not very credible". 

The SNAP abuse survivors' network went further: "True action could come in the form of admission from Pope Benedict XVI and for him to relinquish his honor as pope emeritus. That could start the act of contrition." 

The Catholic Church has been embroiled in a series of sexual abuse scandals in countries around the world, including Australia, Chile, France, Ireland and the United States. 

The report by Westpfahl Spilker Wastl (WSW), which was commissioned by
the church to carry out the probe (AFP/Sven Hoppe)

In Germany, a string of reports in recent years have exposed widespread abuse of children by clergymen. 

A study commissioned by the German Bishops' Conference in 2018 concluded that 1,670 clergymen in the country had committed some form of sexual attack against 3,677 minors between 1946 and 2014. 

However, the real number of victims is thought to be much higher. 

Another report published last year exposed the scope of abuse committed by priests in Germany's top diocese of Cologne. 

The abuse scandal has thwarted the Catholic Church's efforts to spearhead broad reforms in Germany. 

Payouts for victims of abuse were increased in 2020 to up to 50,000 euros ($56,700), from around 5,000 euros previously, but campaigners say the sum is still inadequate. 

Matthias Katsch, a spokesman for the Eckiger Tisch victims' group, called the report "shocking". 

It was "impressive and very moving" to see the lawyers "take apart this edifice of lies that has been erected to protect Benedict XVI", he said.

Prince Andrew gives up military titles, patronages: palace

Yahoo – AFP, January 13, 2022

Prince Andrew has given up his honorary military titles and charitable
positions (AFP/John Thys}

Queen Elizabeth II's second son Prince Andrew, who is facing a US civil case for sexual assault, has given up his honorary military and charitable roles, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday. 

"With The Queen's approval and agreement, The Duke of York's military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen," a statement said. 

"The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen." 

The announcement came after a judge in New York on Wednesday ruled against the 61-year-old prince, who had tried to have the case against him thrown out. 

Andrew, a former Royal Navy helicopter pilot who flew in the 1982 Falklands War, is accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre when she was 17. 

Giuffre alleges the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein lent her out for sex with his wealthy and powerful associates. 

Andrew, who is ninth in line to the throne, was forced to step back from royal duties in late 2019, after a disastrous television interview in which he tried to defend his links to Epstein. 

Public outrage at the time saw several charities and associations distance themselves from him, and he has since repeatedly denied Giuffre's allegations. 

The Duke of York has kept a low profile since he tried to defend his links to the
disgraced US financer Jeffrey Epstein (AFP/Justin Tallis)

He has rarely been seen in public since the television interview. 

On Thursday, he was seen being driven from his house near Windsor Castle, west of London, an AFP photographer said. 

The announcement came after more than 150 Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and British Army veterans wrote to the Queen, calling on her to strip Andrew of his ranks and titles in the armed forces. 

The 95-year-old head of state is commander-in-chief of the army, navy and air force. 

"Were this any other senior military officer it is inconceivable that he would still be in post," the veterans wrote in a joint letter made public by the anti-monarchy pressure group Republic. 

"Officers of the British armed forces must adhere to the very highest standards of probity, honesty and honourable conduct. 

"These are standards which Prince Andrew has fallen well short of," they wrote, adding that he had "brought the services he is associated with into disrepute". 

Senior members of the British royal family have typically been appointed as honorary heads of military units, with the Queen's approval. 

Andrew was honorary colonel of the Grenadier Guards, whose soldiers guard Buckingham Palace in their distinctive bearskin hats and red tunics. 

Royal patronages are associations with charities and other organisations.

Maxwell-Epstein victims 'relieved and grateful' after guilty verdict

France24 – AFP, 30/12/2021 

A photo of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein presented as evidence
during her trial Handout US District Court for the Southern District of New York/AFP/File

New York (AFP) – Victims of the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and her former partner, the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein, welcomed a jury's decision Wednesday finding Maxwell guilty of child sex trafficking. 

"I am so relieved and grateful that the jury recognized the pattern of predatory behavior that Maxwell engaged in," said Annie Farmer, one of four victims to testify in the high-profile trial, in a statement on Twitter. 

"I hope that this verdict brings solace to all who need it and demonstrates that no one is above the law," said Farmer, who was the only woman not to testify under a pseudonym. 

"Even those with great power and privilege will be held accountable when they sexually abuse and exploit the young." 

The 60-year-old Maxwell, daughter of the late British media baron Robert Maxwell, was found guilty in a Manhattan federal court of a series of sex crimes, the most serious being the sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a maximum 40 year sentence. 

Four women testified that between 1994 and 2004, Maxwell recruited and groomed them for sex with Epstein. Two of the women were 14 years old at the time. 

Theresa Helm, another Epstein accuser who did not participate in the trial, described Maxwell as a "master manipulator." 

"Ghislaine Maxwell will never again have the opportunity to take anything from anyone. She will reside on the other side of freedom. Us -- survivors -- we go free," Helm said in a BBC interview. 

Epstein committed suicide in prison two years ago while awaiting his own trial for sex crimes. 

The judge has not yet set a date for Maxwell's sentencing, but the cumulative penalty for her crimes would likely amount to a life sentence. 

Her attorney, Bobbi Sternheim, has already stated that they will appeal. 

Virginia Giuffre, who alleges Epstein lent her out for sex with his wealthy and powerful associates, including Britain's Prince Andrew welcomed the verdict in a statement on Twitter. 

Praising Maxwell's conviction, Giuffre said she "will remember this day always." 

"My heart goes out to the many other girls and young women who suffered," she added. "I hope that today is not the end but rather another step in justice being served." 

The prince has repeatedly denied the allegations by Giuffre, who is sueing him in the United States, saying he does not remember meeting her and "absolutely and categorically did not have sex with her."

China mulls bill to tackle workplace discrimination against women

Yahoo – AFP, December 25, 2021

Assembly-line workers at a factory in Fuyang in eastern China (AFP/STR)

Chinese lawmakers are discussing new rules to prevent workplace discrimination and sexual harassment against women amid a string of high-profile cases in recent months. 

A draft bill published Friday includes a ban on employers stating gender preferences on job ads and quizzing female applicants about their marital or pregnancy status –- a common practice that has been criticised for decades. 

Rapid economic growth in the past four decades coupled with the one-child rule has opened up more educational and employment opportunities for Chinese women. 

But women's participation in the workforce has dropped, due to gender-based filtering when hiring and as more women care for families amid a severe shortage of affordable childcare options. 

A report by Human Rights Watch in June found that one in five civil service job postings in 2019 specified a preference for male applicants. 

The report also says that it was a common practice for employers including schools to force female staff to sign contracts promising not to get pregnant for several years as a pre-condition for being hired. 

The proposed new rules come amid concerns that China's new three-child rule could make employers even more reluctant to hire women and as officials crack down on the local #MeToo movement after a string of cases that led to a public outcry over sexual assault in the workplace. 

Earlier this month, e-commerce giant Alibaba group fired a female staffer who had accused a manager of sexual assault. 

The proposed amendments will make enforcement easier by clearly defining what sexual harassment is, state-run Xinhua news agency said. 

According to a draft text published Friday, it prohibits "vulgar speech", "inappropriate physical behaviour" or "the display or dissemination of sexual images, information, text, audio or video". 

It also requires employers to set up mechanisms to prevent, investigate and respond to such complaints "without delay", but there were no details on any penalties for failing to do so. 

The amendments are open for public comment until January 22, 2022.

Related Article:

US, UN demand proof of missing Chinese tennis star's well-being

US, UN demand proof of missing Chinese tennis star's well-being

Yahoo – AFP, Robin MILLARD, November 19, 2021 

The WTA is threatening to pull out of China if tennis star Peng Shui's
whereabouts and safety are not confirmed (AFP/GREG BAKER) 

The United States and UN on Friday demanded proof of Peng Shuai's whereabouts and well-being amid rising concern for the tennis star, missing since alleging she was sexually exploited by a former vice-premier of China. 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden's administration wanted China to "provide independent, verifiable proof" of Peng's whereabouts and expressed "deep concern" about the former world top-ranked doubles player. 

The United Nations insisted on a fully transparent investigation into the claims made by Peng against Communist Party grandee Zhang Gaoli. 

Tennis stars, sports bodies, governments and human rights defenders also spoke up for Peng, 35, and demanded information. 

The head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) said he was prepared to cut lucrative business ties with China if Peng remains unaccounted for and her sexual assault allegations are not probed. 

Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka have also voiced their concerns for one of China's greatest ever players. 

"It would be important to have proof of her whereabouts and well-being," Liz Throssell, a spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights Office, told reporters in Geneva. 

"According to available information, Peng, a former world doubles number one, hasn't been heard from publicly since she alleged on social media that she had been sexually assaulted. 

"We are calling for an investigation with full transparency into her allegation of sexual assault." 

WTA threatens China pull-out 

Peng alleged on the Chinese social media site Weibo earlier this month that Zhang, now in his 70s, had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. 

The claims were quickly scrubbed from the Twitter-like platform and she has not been seen since. 

The WTA, the top world body for women's tennis, has called for proof that Peng is safe. 

Its boss Steve Simon said he is willing to lose hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Chinese business in one of the WTA's biggest markets to ensure Peng's safety. 

"We're definitely willing to pull our business and deal with all the complications that come with it," Simon told CNN. 

"Women need to be respected and not censored," he added. 

Tennis legend Serena Williams also demanded an investigation. 

"I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai," the former singles world number one wrote on Twitter. 

"This must be investigated and we must not stay silent." 

Peng represented China in the Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics and won gold for China at the 2010 Asian Games. 

She is a former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion. 

France said the international community and sports bodies were worried for Peng's situation. 

"We are concerned about the lack of information," the French foreign ministry said. 

"We call on the Chinese authorities to implement their commitments in the fight against violence against women." 

The Lawn Tennis Association, the sport's governing body in Britain, offered its assistance to the WTA in its efforts to establish Peng's safety. 

Email doubts 

Peng's claims brought the #MeToo movement into the highest echelons of China's ruling Communist Party for the first time. 

"The Chinese government has systematically silenced the country's #MeToo movement," said Amnesty International's China researcher Doriane Lau. 

"Given that it also has a zero-tolerance approach to criticism, it is deeply concerning that Peng Shuai appears to be missing," she said. 

China has repeatedly refused to comment on her fate or the case. 

But Hu Xijin, the outspoken editor of the Communist Party-owned Global Times, tweeted on Friday that he didn't believe that "Peng Shuai has received retaliation and repression speculated by foreign media for the thing people talked about". 

Earlier this week, state-run CGTN published a screenshot on Twitter of what it said was an email written by Peng to Simon and other WTA officials. 

In the email, Peng claims that her earlier accusations are "not true" and says she is "resting at home and everything is fine". 

But doubts were quickly flagged about the awkward language used in the purported email and the cursor visible in the screenshot. 

Simon said that he was struggling to believe the email was authentic. 

"I don't think there's any validity in it and we won't be comfortable until we have a chance to speak with her," he said. 

Amnesty's Lau said: "China's state media has a track record of forcing statements out of individuals under duress, or else simply fabricating them."

US women's soccer league postpones matches after abuse allegations

Yahoo – AFP, Fri, October 1, 2021 

The National Women's Soccer League has announced it is postponing its weekend
matches following allegations of sexual misconduct against a head coach (AFP/Alex Goodlett)

The top professional women's soccer league in the United States, under fire for its handling of allegations of sexual misconduct against a head coach, announced on Friday that it was postponing its weekend matches. 

"This week, and much of this season, has been incredibly traumatic for our players and staff, and I take full responsibility for the role I have played," National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) commissioner Lisa Baird said. 

"I am so sorry for the pain so many are feeling," Baird said in a statement. "Recognizing that trauma, we have decided not to take the field this weekend to give everyone some space to reflect." 

The postponement came after the North Carolina Courage fired head coach Paul Riley on Thursday for what the team called "very serious allegations of misconduct." 

Riley's dismissal came after The Athletic website detailed wide-ranging sexual misconduct by the 58-year-old Englishman spanning multiple teams and leagues since 2010. 

Riley was the second NWSL coach to be dismissed this week after the league terminated Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke's contract following an investigation into allegations of verbal and emotional abuse. 

In her statement, Baird, the NWSL commissioner, said "business as usual isn't our concern right now. Our entire league has a great deal of healing to do, and our players deserve so much better." 

Baird said the decision to postpone the weekend matches was made in collaboration with the players association. 

"This pause will be the first step as we collectively work to transform the culture of this league, something that is long overdue," she said. 

US internationals Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe were among the players who criticized the league's handling of the allegations against Riley. 

"Bottom line: protect your players. Do the right thing NWSL," Morgan tweeted.