In the vast landscape of sports, the national table tennis team has always been an undisputed and brilliant landmark, shining brightly for a long time, carrying the heavy pride and eager expectations of the people. Liu Guoliang is even more of a pivotal leader in the journey of the national table tennis team. Over the years, he has led the national table tennis giant ship to break through the waves and won countless glories. However, recently, a rumor about Liu Guoliang's "dismissal" has emerged like a sudden storm, causing a great stir in the sports world, making the hearts of fans instantly tighten and full of worry.
He Xiaolong's groundless "provocation"
Speaking of this matter, it is impossible to bypass the sports media person who caused a stir in the sports public opinion field - He Xiaolong. This person has really "stolen the limelight" recently, but behind this limelight, the controversy is so strong that it cannot be dissolved. He is like a "critic" holding a sharp blade and recklessly rushing around in the field of national table tennis, firing everywhere.
As soon as the Paris Olympic Games table tennis event ended, He Xiaolong couldn't wait to come out. The women's singles competition was settled, and Chen Meng won the Olympic singles gold medal after a fierce battle. This should have been something worth celebrating nationwide, but in He Xiaolong's mouth, it changed its flavor. He repeatedly posted articles, all of which were full of doubts about the gold content of Chen Meng's championship. He also insinuated maliciously that Chen Meng "had backers" and crudely compared her with table tennis legends Deng Yaping and Zhang Yining, implying that Chen Meng was far inferior to the two. As soon as these remarks came out, netizens exploded, and criticism and resistance flooded towards him, but He Xiaolong seemed to have not heard it and remained the same as before.
Next, his "target" turned to Sun Yingsha. In his view, Sun Yingsha's failure in a key match was not simply a technical problem, but rather the infinite amplification of the "shortcoming" of mentality. He also argued that the excessive marketing surrounding Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin had put a heavy burden on these two young players. He described it vividly, saying that high expectations are like towering mountains, making the players hurried in their pre-match psychological preparation, and even more flustered on the court, unable to come up with targeted tactics.
Wang Chuqin naturally did not escape his "scrutiny". Before Wang Chuqin won the WTT Finals, He Xiaolong criticized him in every possible way, full of contempt; as soon as the news of the championship came, this person changed his face instantly, and wildly put forward the "80,000 calculations theory of the national table tennis team", twisting the tactical wisdom of the athletes on the court into "calculations", and even taking Ma Lin as an example, completely disregarding the hard work behind the athletes, saying that Ma Lin won the Olympic singles gold medal by relying on this so-called "calculation".
He Xiaolong's series of remarks based solely on imagination and without objective basis are like arrows, shooting at the national table tennis players, and deeply hurting the hearts of fans. Objectivity and fairness of news media people seem to be nothing to him. Who would have thought that the overwhelming criticism from netizens did not make him收敛，but rather like giving him an "excitement," making him even more arrogant and throwing out more outrageous remarks.
The initial manifestation of Liu Guoliang's "predicament"
On the one hand, He Xiaolong made a big fuss, and on the other hand, the internal personnel changes of the national table tennis team also aroused speculation from the outside world. The former director of the Table Tennis and Badminton Center, Yang Xinli, was reassigned to serve as the director and party secretary of the Training Bureau, leaving a vacancy in the position. Naturally, everyone's attention focused on Liu Guoliang.
Who is Liu Guoliang? He is a legend in the table tennis world! His athletic career was glorious, winning championships and trophies, and his heroic figure swinging his racket on the court is deeply engraved in the memory of fans. After transitioning to a coach and manager, his outstanding leadership skills were fully demonstrated. Since serving as chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association in 2017, the national table tennis team has been nearly invincible on the world stage. Although the mixed doubles gold medal was lost in the Tokyo Olympics, the other events won gold steadily, defending the glory of the national table tennis team.
He also spared no effort to promote the popularization of table tennis among the people. Walking on the streets and alleys, table tennis tables can be seen everywhere, and more and more children hold rackets and pursue their table tennis dreams, all thanks to Liu Guoliang's efforts. Moreover, he is eager to send the mixed team event into the Olympics. If this comes true, China's Olympic delegation will have more confidence in winning gold in the future.
As early as before Yang Xinli took office as the director of the Table Tennis and Badminton Center in 2023, Liu Guoliang was a hot candidate, but he was "parachuted" by Yang Xinli. Now that Yang Xinli has been promoted and there is a vacancy in the position, it seems reasonable for Liu Guoliang to take over based on his past achievements and prestige. But reality is not like this. With the position vacant, Liu Guoliang has no movement, and for a while, all kinds of guesses are rampant.
Seeing the opportunity, He Xiaolong jumped out and declared with certainty that Liu Guoliang had already "stepped down". He also listed "crimes" in a serious manner, claiming that he was the "originator" of the national table tennis fan culture. In He Xiaolong's view, Liu Guoliang promoted the marketization of national table tennis, bringing athletes to entertainment programs and creating fan groups, which was a good thing, but he didn't grasp the degree well. As a result, famous players such as Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin became traffic stars, and the fan base expanded. Some irrational fans attacked opponents online from time to time, tarnishing the image of athletes and the national table tennis team.
After the mixed team World Cup, Liu Guoliang seemed to "evaporate from the world," with little news of his public appearance. He Xiaolong took advantage of this to make a fuss, claiming that the table tennis association management agency was headless and almost paralyzed, and hinted maliciously that a major reshuffle of the national table tennis management was a foregone conclusion, questioning whether it was difficult for Liu Guoliang to regain his authority, and even drawing a big question mark on whether his capable assistants Ma Lin, Qin Zhijian and others would follow.
In recent years, the national table tennis fan culture has indeed given birth to chaos. Take the Chengdu Mixed Team World Cup as an example. The audience cheered loudly on the scene, and the "Sha Tou" combination was arranged to meet the audience, which caused a lot of controversy after the game. At the Chongqing Championship, Fan Zhendong won the game but was booed. He was even attacked and abused by some viewers after winning the championship. These problems need to be solved urgently. After He Xiaolong stirred things up, the fans were in a mess, all eagerly waiting for accurate news to confirm or refute this astonishing rumor.
Liu Guoliang's powerful response
Just when everyone was anxious and discussing, on the evening of December 24th, a "ray of light" pierced through the gloom. Liu Guoliang appeared on CCTV's "Sports News", attended the National Sports Director's Conference, and was interviewed as the Chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. At that time, he stood upright, firm and resolute, with a calm aura, effectively countering the annoying rumors of "dismissal".
He stood in front of the camera, with a steady and determined gaze, a loud and powerful voice, and declared unequivocally that he still firmly held the position of the "helm" of the national table tennis team. Then, he shifted the topic, talked freely about the future blueprint of the national table tennis team, and revealed that there will be a series of "big moves" in the new Olympic cycle, just like a fleet ready to set sail.
Starting from the new four-year Olympic cycle in 2025, it will be the "golden age" for the vigorous growth of young players. Liu Guoliang planned meticulously, carefully dividing these four years into four stages. In the initial stage, focus on cultivating young players, building a rich and diverse competition platform, allowing them to engage in actual combat and take root in the wind and rain. As time goes by, entering the stage of growth and maturity, the coaching team will tailor training plans according to the characteristics of each player, refining techniques and tempering mentality. In the sprint stage, arrange high-intensity confrontation matches to simulate the tense atmosphere of the Olympic arena, helping players adapt to the pressure of major competitions in advance. Finally, in the comprehensive preparation stage, check for loopholes from all aspects, from physical reserve to tactical drills, ensuring that players reach the peak state and go to the Olympic arena.
At the team construction level, the national table tennis team will also usher in a deep "change". The mechanism of two-way selection between coaches and athletes will be reactivated, just like a "two-way rush". Coaches can choose players with potential and high compatibility, and players can also choose coaches that best suit themselves, filling the tacit understanding value between teachers and students. At the same time, the