The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has teamed up with WTT and three union members to form a five-person working group, which has quickly caused a stir in the sports world. The main task of this working group is to solve the communication problems between WTT and table tennis players, especially regarding the controversial system implemented by WTT - non-participation leads to penalties, which has been upgraded to fines this year. This system has led to the withdrawal of top Chinese table tennis players Chen Meng, Ma Long, and Fan Zhendong from the WTT rankings, theoretically also absenting them from WTT commercial events, which is a significant blow to the promotion of table tennis.
After its establishment, WTT's commercial events have almost occupied most of the year's competitions. However, at the end of last year's world rankings, none of the top ten men's singles were champions of the three major singles events, which is unprecedented in the 25-year history of the ITTF. The absence of Fan Zhendong, Ma Long, and Chen Meng has left fans deeply regretful. WTT also realizes that relying solely on young players like Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin is not enough to maintain the attention of the events.
In the face of difficulties, people pin their hopes on this five-person working group, expecting them to propose effective solutions. As the first deputy chairman of the ITTF and the chairman of WTT, Liu Guoliang has previously proposed two forward-looking measures. One is to grant veterans and famous players exemption rights to participate in competitions, avoiding penalties for non-participation, which can take care of the veterans' bodies while ensuring the attractiveness of the event.
However, the penalty system also has its reasons for existence. The commercial value of table tennis is relatively low, and the absence of top stars will significantly reduce the value of the event. Therefore, retaining the penalty system under certain conditions is out of consideration for the commercial value of the event.
Another measure proposed by Liu Guoliang is to establish a full-attendance bonus pool, replacing fines with bonuses. If players complete all matches, they can receive additional bonuses; if they do not participate, they will not be fined. However, implementing this measure is difficult because the total prize money of WTT events has been declining. Last year, the prize money for the Singapore and Saudi Arabia Grand Slam events dropped by 20%, reflecting the profitability challenges faced by table tennis.
More worrying is that the year-end finals in 2025 will cancel the men's doubles and women's doubles competitions, using all the prize money for mixed doubles competitions, directly reflecting the problem of insufficient prize money. Whether WTT can come up with enough funds to establish a full-attendance bonus pool is indeed a concern.
Despite the many difficulties, the establishment of the five-person working group and Liu Guoliang's remarks indicate that the ITTF and WTT are actively seeking solutions, hoping that Fan Zhendong, Ma Long, Chen Meng, and other main players will return to the court. Their return can not only enhance the attractiveness of the event but also inject new vitality into the promotion of table tennis.
For young players, they are not being "exploited," but rather becoming an important force in promoting the development of table tennis. The new initiatives of the ITTF and WTT are laying the groundwork for the future of table tennis.