A tweet by sports journalist He Xiaolong has caused a stir among fans of the Chinese national table tennis team (Guoping).
"I firmly believe that Liu Guoliang has been removed from his position, this is just my personal judgment," he wrote. This short statement has set off a storm within the Guoping fan community.
He Xiaolong, known for his sharp writing style, has recently been exposing internal information about Guoping, with undercurrents in his words.
He previously mentioned several times how fan culture has eroded Guoping, believing that the silence of the Table Tennis Association is a "leaderless, semi-paralyzed working state," even predicting that "there's an 80% chance of a change in leadership."
Now, he directly names Liu Guoliang, undoubtedly pushing this turmoil to its peak.
Looking back at the women's singles final at the 2024 Paris Olympics between Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha, it remains a sore point for many fans.
On the court, what should have been pure competitive opposition was overshadowed by the excessive behavior of some extreme fans.
The boos and middle fingers from Sun Yingsha's fans, the fierce counterattacks from Chen Meng's fans, changed the flavor of this pinnacle match.
After the Olympics, public security organs punished multiple online rumor mongers, but the influence of fan culture spread like wildfire, difficult to extinguish.
Subsequent Ping Pong Super League events exposed this chaos even more blatantly.
Fan Zhendong was slapped in the face by crazy fans, Wang Chuqin's fans insulted Fan Zhendong, Fan Zhendong's fans abused Ma Long, Sun Yingsha was reported... A series of incidents made Guoping the focus of public opinion.
Even on days without matches, Guoping players frequently topped the hot search lists, but this time, it was not because of their glory on the field.
If He Xiaolong's revelation is true, this will be the second time Liu Guoliang leaves his position as head coach of Guoping.
Last time, his departure triggered a collective strike by the coaching staff and players, with a Weibo post saying "No heart for the game, only missing Liu Guoliang" still fresh in people's memories.
That time, it was Guoping's unity that forced the higher-ups to reconsider Liu Guoliang's stay or departure.
Returning to Guoping, Liu Guoliang bore immense pressure.
He focused more on improving the team's performance and worked hard to expand the influence of table tennis.
He turned several top athletes into public figures comparable to internet celebrities, which both increased Guoping's fame and brought about the side effects of fan culture.
Now, Guoping's influence has reached unprecedented heights, but what followed were endless fan arguments and cyberbullying.
Liu Guoliang's contributions to Guoping are undeniable; he led Guoping to one glory after another.
If he really leaves again, where will Guoping's future go?
Will the once united coaching staff and players choose to strike again?
Perhaps what we should reflect on more is ourselves - those who love table tennis.
The charm of competitive sports lies in striving and surpassing, not endless fan disputes.
We need to rationally view the results of the competition and respect the efforts of every athlete.
Excessive fanaticism and extreme behavior not only harms the athletes but also damages the sport we love.
In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Liu Guoliang won gold medals in men's singles and doubles, opening the "Dream Team" era for Guoping.
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he led Guoping to sweep all four gold medals, creating a historic brilliance.
In the 2016 Rio Olympics, he led the team to win all gold medals again, consolidating Guoping's dominant position.
He witnessed Guoping's peak moments and also experienced its low periods.
He poured his whole heart into Guoping, and his name has long been closely linked with Guoping's glory.
However, the cruelty of competitive sports lies in the fact that victory and defeat are common occurrences.
Even the powerful Guoping inevitably experiences defeats at times.
Fans' enthusiasm can be understood, but excessive fanaticism and extreme behavior only bring unnecessary pressure to the athletes and may even affect their competitive state.
True fans should respect the efforts of every athlete and support and encourage them regardless of victory or defeat.
We should pay attention to the competition itself and appreciate the athletes' exquisite skills instead of being obsessed with endless fan disputes.
Rational idol worship is not only a respect for athletes but also a purification of our own inner selves.
Let us return to the essence of sports, feel the passion and emotion brought by competitive sports, and together protect the table tennis sport we love.