On December 24, 2024, veteran sports blogger He Xiaolong posted on his personal social media platform, insisting that Liu Guoliang had been fired.
He Xiaolong has a massive following of 473,000 fans on Weibo, with a V index of 83.73 in sports and ranked No. 6 in live streaming, making him a popular sports blogger with an IP address located in Shaanxi.
After He Xiaolong's message was released, it garnered significant attention from netizens. Many believed that He Xiaolong had access to first-hand information and trusted his claims without question.
Known for his sharp words, He Xiaolong has frequently commented on the national table tennis team on his personal Weibo account, insinuating Liu Guoliang as the cause of the so-called "fan culture."
Numerous netizens developed a prejudice against Liu Guoliang after reading He Xiaolong's posts.
Just as the rumors about Liu Guoliang's dismissal were escalating, CCTV International aired an interview video with Liu Guoliang at an opportune moment.
It turned out that on December 24, 2024, the National Sports Director's Conference was held in Beijing, where Liu Guoliang, as the chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, participated.
Following the conference, Liu Guoliang accepted an interview with a CCTV journalist, discussing his future work plans.
Liu Guoliang stated: The national table tennis team will establish a new team, adjusting both athletes and coaches while vigorously cultivating young players and providing them with more competition opportunities.
The plan is divided into four phases: the first year for cultivation, the second year for maturation, the third year for sprinting, and the fourth year for Olympic planning.
Liu Guoliang also mentioned: To enhance the training of young players, the national table tennis team needs to build new platforms and structures, including coaches and athletes. Athlete training is cyclical and hierarchical, configured overall based on age, playing style, and the team. The coaching team will also adjust according to new trends.
Liu Guoliang further revealed that during the Los Angeles Olympic cycle, he has another critical task: striving to include mixed doubles table tennis as an official event in the Olympics, adding another gold medal opportunity for the Chinese team.
This indicates that Liu Guoliang's position is stable, and the rumors of his dismissal are merely He Xiaolong's baseless speculations.
CCTV broadcasting the interview video with Liu Guoliang exposed the faces of the rumor-mongers.
Undeniably, the national table tennis team won five gold medals at the Paris Olympics, masking existing deficiencies. One issue is the advanced age of the main players. For instance, older players like Liang Jinkun, Lin Gaoyuan, Chen Xintong, and Wang Yidi have little training value but occupy primary positions, leaving fewer opportunities for younger players.
Another problem is the lack of continuity among players, particularly evident in the women's team. Among the current top three absolute mainstays, Chen Meng is aging, uncertain if she can persist until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Sun Yingsha is injured, and Wang Manyu is in slightly better physical condition; should they not participate, the performance of the national women's table tennis team would be dismal.
During the 2024 Asian Table Tennis Championships, with Chen Meng not participating, Sun Yingsha injured, and Wang Manyu withdrawing last minute, the national women's team could not hold up, resulting in the loss of both the women's team and singles championships.
The situation in the men's line is slightly better, but Wang Chuqin's performance is inconsistent, while Lin Shidong has the potential to rise and become an absolute mainstay.
The coaching team also faces issues, with many fans dissatisfied with the women's head coach Ma Lin, believing he is not up to the task.
Since taking charge of the national table tennis team, Liu Guoliang has created numerous glories, even surpassing his mentor Cai Zhenhua in coaching achievements.
Of course, Liu Guoliang has been in power for a long time, cultivating and promoting many athletes and coaches, leading some to mistakenly believe he has his own clique. Whenever problems arise within the national table tennis team, there are those who habitually attribute them to him, fabricating groundless accusations.
Some individuals, driven by various motives, fervently wish for Liu Guoliang's dismissal. However, more netizens believe that the national table tennis team needs Liu Guoliang, as only he can carry this banner.
Some netizens cite Li Yongbo as an example. In the past, Li Yongbo managed the national badminton team, leading it to win 94 world championships and dominating the international badminton scene.
Envious of Li Yongbo's long tenure, numerous accolades, and significant power within the national badminton team, some people nitpicked at him. Others even sent anonymous letters to relevant departments, demanding Li Yongbo's removal.
Li Yongbo initially aimed for the national badminton team to win 100 world championships, but in 2017, he reluctantly left the team and later traveled abroad to grow durians. With unfulfilled ambitions, Li Yongbo felt great reluctance.
After Li Yongbo's departure from the national badminton team, its performance plummeted. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the team only secured two gold medals in women's doubles and mixed doubles. Foreign competitors took the gold medals in traditional strong events such as women's singles and men's singles.
Many netizens worry that if Liu Guoliang were to leave the national table tennis team like Li Yongbo, given the current personnel structure and strength of the team, it would also fall into a trough.
Therefore, many fans call out: Liu Guoliang must not become the second Li Yongbo; the national table tennis team needs Liu Guoliang, hoping he will lead the team to new glories at the Los Angeles Olympics.