The situation escalates as "Little Fatty" returns to CCTV1, WTT regrets its actions, and the ITTF's attempt at deception is exposed
The 27-year-old Fan Zhendong, a player of great significance in the international table tennis arena, has chosen to confront WTT head-on, a decision that has undoubtedly caused a stir in the table tennis world. Following this, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) quickly responded by deciding to form a five-person group to investigate WTT's rules and regulations. However, regardless of the investigation's outcome, the fact that Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng have withdrawn from the international arena has become a fait accompli. While Chen Meng and Ma Long are nearing the end of their careers, making their decisions somewhat understandable, Fan Zhendong's situation is markedly different, as he has been confirmed to have been forced to withdraw. He once openly stated his hope to have a long career like veteran player Timo Boll, becoming a legendary athlete. However, reality is so cruel that Fan Zhendong ultimately could not persevere. Under the immense pressure of the Olympics, he was able to rally and achieve a great comeback. Facing WTT's unreasonable rules, he chose not to endure any longer, which is precisely what everyone admires about him; he became the first person to dare to stand up against WTT!
In an interview, Fan Zhendong said, "If we look at it from a long-term perspective, I hope to have a very long career, like Boll. Only with a long time is it possible to become a legend. If it's too short, it might feel lacking, so I hope I can do it." If WTT had not suddenly added a rule for withdrawal fines, Fan Zhendong's plan would definitely have been to continue participating in international competitions, and he might even have played for another ten years. His withdrawal is not only a loss for the national team but also a significant loss for the entire Chinese sports industry. As a result, WTT has aroused public outrage and been criticized by many, with media outlets such as CCTV13 News Channel, CCTV7 Military Channel, and CCTV1 all voicing support for Fan Zhendong.
Recently, CCTV1 reported on Fan Zhendong. Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng were forced to withdraw from the world rankings, and the ITTF formed a five-person investigation group to review WTT's existing rules and systems. CCTV1 provided detailed coverage, presumably hoping that the ITTF will quickly provide results and give everyone an explanation.
However, the five-person group from the ITTF has raised questions. In addition to ITTF officials, there are also the WTT Player Relations Director and the WTT Chief Events Officer. Originally intended to investigate WTT World Table Tennis, it turns out that two people from WTT have joined the investigation group, which is difficult to understand. Moreover, those entering the investigation group are the ones most adept at public relations, the Player Relations Director. Not only do fans express doubts, but authoritative domestic media have also spoken out.
Shanghai Television Media "Kankan News" published a lengthy article questioning the ITTF and WTT, questioning whether the ITTF investigation group can remain objective, and pointedly stating that "the ITTF investigation group is being questioned for self-inspection," simply put, investigating itself. "Kankan News" also used an analogy, "If we compare the ITTF to a chairman, then WTT is the marketing director he hired," which vividly reveals the relationship between the ITTF and WTT.
The ITTF appears to take the matter of Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng being forced to withdraw by WTT very seriously, but WTT is an institution under the ITTF. If another organization were to conduct the investigation, the results would undoubtedly be more convincing. However, allowing the ITTF to investigate WTT, one can already predict the likely outcome. Additionally, the financial reports of the ITTF and WTT have also raised questions. Before 2022, the ITTF held a 100% stake in WTT, but starting from 2022, the ITTF's shareholding ratio changed to 85%. If other investors had joined, perhaps the change in shares could be understood, but what is perplexing is that the "mysterious person" holding a 15% stake in WTT has no information available—shouldn't there be transparency?
As the saying goes, "Lose something at dawn, gain something at dusk." According to "Upstream News," although Fan Zhendong has withdrawn from the international arena, he now enjoys even greater support and affection, with his commercial value further enhanced, currently holding at least nine endorsements.
Having played table tennis for so many years, Fan Zhendong's salary, bonuses, and endorsements combined have made his income quite substantial. His dream for his career was to play for many years, but WTT's new rules directly led to his retirement from the international arena, leaving him feeling helpless and frustrated. Previously, WTT posted Fan Zhendong's career achievements on social media, seemingly attempting to make amends, but it is now clear that there is no turning back. In pursuit of increased commercial revenue, they forced players to participate, and now that the matter has been exposed, there is no room for redemption.
WTT, an event established only four years ago, still has an uncertain future. It relied on Chinese players to develop, yet now it targets them, engaging in the utterly disgraceful act of "burning the pot after eating," which is truly infuriating!
Although Fan Zhendong's withdrawal is regrettable, it also allows us to see his courage and sense of responsibility. He dares to stand up against WTT's unreasonable rules and speak out for other players, a spirit that is worthy of learning by each of us. At the same time, his withdrawal also makes us pay more attention to the issues of rules and systems in the international table tennis arena. We hope that the ITTF will truly take these issues seriously and take effective measures to protect the rights of players, allowing table tennis to develop in a healthier and fairer manner.
For Fan Zhendong, although he has withdrawn from the international arena, his career has not ended. He can still shine on the domestic stage and contribute his strength to the national team. At the same time, he can use his influence to make more contributions to the promotion and development of table tennis. We believe that Fan Zhendong will surely find his own new stage and continue to write his own brilliant chapter.