At 11:11 AM Beijing time on December 27th, Olympic table tennis champion Fan Zhendong announced his decision to withdraw from the world rankings via Weibo, while also stating that he would not be retiring. In the latest issue of the world rankings released by the International Table Tennis Federation this week, Fan Zhendong ranked sixth, with 5 out of 8 valid points being assigned a zero.
Choosing to announce his withdrawal from the world rankings at 11:11 AM, Fan Zhendong's love for table tennis runs deep, as evidenced by the profound meaning in his post. Table tennis is a sport played to 11 points, which shows Fan Zhendong's passion for the sport. We look forward to seeing Fan Zhendong at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area National Games and on various other competitive stages.
Fan Zhendong mentioned that due to the significant psychological toll left over from the Paris cycle, aside from confirming participation in the next National Games, there are no specific plans for other competitions. Recently, the WTT introduced a new rule imposing fines for non-participation, which he finds unbearable but still respects the international organization, hence choosing to withdraw from the world rankings for now.
As early as May, Fan Zhendong suggested it might be his last Olympics. Although he stated he would not retire, he has not competed internationally, leaving many fans feeling regretful. At just 27 years old and still at the peak of his game, he could easily continue playing for several more years.
During the Paris cycle, Fan Zhendong bore considerable pressure, especially in the Houston World Championships and the Paris Olympics, where he wanted to face opponents from other associations in the finals. Especially after Wang Chuqin was eliminated in the Paris Olympics, Fan Zhendong faced immense pressure, resulting in significant exhaustion.
Just yesterday, it was announced that Fan Zhendong will still be absent from the Singapore Grand Slam in early January next year, which means he will inevitably miss this year's World Championships as well. Due to the new regulations issued by the WTT, which increased the severity of penalties, Fan Zhendong had no choice but to withdraw from the world rankings, having been assigned zero points all along.
Many netizens expressed their dissatisfaction, claiming that the WTT's "ranking" system is overly commercialized, forcing athletes to participate in WTT events to maximize commercial gains. However, they overlook the need for athletes to adjust and rest, as constantly traveling for competitions is truly exhausting for them.
How can you push an athlete who has worked tirelessly for the country's glory for over a decade to such a point? Is this reasonable? Is there anyone to manage the WTT's tyrannical clauses?
The WTT not only forcibly assigns zero points to non-participating athletes but also fines them. Fan Zhendong had to withdraw from the world rankings to protect his ranking, so what kind of tyrannical organization is the WTT?
It's unacceptable to treat people like this. When Xiao Pang (Fan Zhendong's nickname) was guarding the entire area alone, defending the honor of the nation and ethnicity, he never expected things to turn out this way. The WTT events are too dense; since the Olympics ended, these national team players haven't stopped. Even on their days off, they have to attend activities, leaving them no time to catch their breath.
Of course, it must also be said that what suits oneself is best. I hope every athlete can follow their own path in their own way.
To maintain long-term competitive form, Fan Zhendong may need to make tremendous efforts in training and competition. This effort is not only physical but also psychological. Withdrawing from the world rankings may be a choice he made after weighing the pros and cons.