Liu Guoliang Breaks Silence! Directly Responds to "Dismissal" Rumors, Admits National Table Tennis Team Will Have a "Big Move"
Since the end of the "Paris Olympics," He Xiaolong has seemingly become obsessed with the national table tennis team. Not only did he criticize the mentality issues of the "Sha Tou" combination, but he also questioned the gold medal's worthiness of Chen Meng in the Olympic singles event. Moreover, He Xiaolong attacked Liu Guoliang, claiming that he is the biggest "fan circle leader" in the table tennis circle. Faced with He Xiaolong's repeated "ridiculous remarks," Liu Guoliang finally broke his silence!
Recently, rumors about Liu Guoliang's "dismissal" have caused a stir on the internet. He Xiaolong's remarks instantly ignited the fuse of public opinion, sparking heated discussions across various sectors.
However, his words were not groundless. In recent years, the Table Tennis Association has been ineffective in managing fan culture. He Xiaolong first criticized the slow and ineffective actions in rectifying fan culture. Then he hinted at the confusion in the management of the Table Tennis Association and the imminent change of leadership. This pushed the heat of public opinion to new heights.
In fact, this was not the first time He Xiaolong made "sharp comments." During the Paris Olympics, Chen Meng's victory in the women's singles championship elicited cheers. However, He Xiaolong's discordant voice resonated at this moment. He repeatedly questioned the value of Chen Meng's Olympic singles gold medal. He even implied that Chen Meng had someone protecting her from above. Comparing her to predecessors like Deng Yaping and Zhang Yining, he believed her achievements were incomparable. These words immediately sparked a storm of controversy. Netizens criticized and resisted such remarks. But it didn't stop there.
He Xiaolong then targeted Sun Yingsha. During the competition, He Xiaolong accused Sun Yingsha of losing not just due to technical deficiencies but also due to a lack of mentality. He believed that the excessive marketing around Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin brought them too high expectations and pressure. This affected their psychological preparation, leading to inadequate preparation and lack of targeted strategies in key matches. After criticizing Sun Yingsha, He Xiaolong naturally wouldn't let Wang Chuqin off the hook.
Before the WTT Finals championship, He Xiaolong was very picky about Wang Chuqin. A La Liga reporter once insinuated that Wang Chuqin was "blocking his serve." Seeing this, He Xiaolong reposted and added fuel to the fire, causing dissatisfaction among fans. In reality, Wang Chuqin's serving actions were always under the supervision of referees and were never judged as violations. However, after Wang Chuqin won the championship, He Xiaolong's attitude made a complete 180-degree turn. He not only created the "National Table Tennis 80,000 Mind-Eyes Theory" but also attributed the essence of the players' skills to "calculations." Additionally, he used Wang Chuqin's racket incident at the Olympics to accuse him of disrespecting coach Xiao Zhan's guidance.
He Xiaolong's remarks, which seemingly appeared as "incisive commentary," were actually full of loopholes. Based solely on personal subjective assumptions, he arbitrarily questioned the selection mechanism and coaching tactical arrangements of the national table tennis team. Completely disregarding the athletes' hard training day after day on the court and their efforts for every point in competitions.
Facing netizens' accusations, He Xiaolong not only "didn't repent" but instead "intensified his efforts." Previously, Yang Xinli was appointed as the director of the original Table Tennis and Badminton Center. Later, due to the brilliant achievements of table tennis and badminton at the Paris Olympics, he was promoted to the director of the General Administration of Sports Training Bureau. The position of the director of the Table Tennis and Badminton Center became vacant. Logically speaking, Liu Guoliang, as the "big favorite," should have been the one to take this position. As a legendary figure in the national table tennis team, he achieved remarkable success as an athlete. After transitioning to become a coach, Liu Guoliang also demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities. Therefore, if he were to be promoted, it would be "rightfully deserved."
In fact, as early as before Yang Xinli took office in 2023, Liu Guoliang was the "hot candidate" for this position. However, Yang Xinli's "parachute" appointment later put an end to this matter. Now, this position has become vacant again, yet Liu Guoliang has not been able to take over. This allowed He Xiaolong to seize the opportunity and create "outrageous" remarks. He openly stated that the national table tennis team's fan culture is rampant. He believed that Liu Guoliang is the biggest "fan circle leader" in the table tennis circle. He accused Liu Guoliang of failing to effectively rectify the "fan culture" within the national table tennis team. Using the fact that the Table Tennis Association does not frequently discuss the issue of coaches being "fired" like the Basketball Association and Football Association, as well as the semi-paralyzed state of the Table Tennis Association, he called for Liu Guoliang's dismissal.
Furthermore, He Xiaolong compared Quan Hongchan with national table tennis players Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin. He criticized Liu Guoliang for excessively indulging Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin. He believed that there are problems with the management model of the national table tennis team, leading these two players to show insufficient respect for coaches. On the other hand, the diving team's management of Quan Hongchan has been more successful, allowing her to focus on training and competitions while avoiding being trapped by traffic. The national table tennis team should learn from the diving team's management experience.
Regarding He Xiaolong's various remarks, despite continuous resistance from netizens, doubts gradually arose as time passed. Everyone looked forward to an official response from the authorities or the Table Tennis Association to overturn this "ridiculous" and "unrealistic" nonsense.
Finally, under the watchful eyes of the public, Liu Guoliang stepped forward! On December 24th, the National Sports Director's Conference was grandly held in Beijing. This sports event attracted numerous attention. Liu Guoliang, the soul of the national table tennis team and chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, was naturally among the invited guests. That night, the CCTV "Sports News" program shone like a beam of light through the haze of rumors. Liu Guoliang, dressed in formal attire and with a calm demeanor, still bore the title of Chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. His steady presence at the National Sports Director's Conference was like an anchor, instantly calming the hearts of fans. Facing the camera, Liu Guoliang spoke with firm eyes and clear logic about the national table tennis team's four-year plan for Olympic preparations. He candidly stated that the national table tennis team will make "big moves." Starting from the new Olympic cycle in 2025, more opportunities will be given to young people. In the first year, a new generation of emerging forces will be cultivated to grow faster. The second year will focus on maturing their playing style and mentality. The third year will start the sprint, and the fourth year will prepare for the Olympics. These words were forceful. Not only were they a strong response to the rumors of dismissal, but they were also like a shot in the arm, infusing strength into the national table tennis team.
As guides on the path of player growth, the importance of the coaching team is self-evident. Liu Guoliang deeply understands this. In the new cycle, reforming the coaching team is imperative. On the one hand, potential coaching talents will be discovered domestically. Veterans who achieved remarkable results as athletes, retired, rooted in the grassroots, and accumulated rich coaching experience will be absorbed into the coaching team. On the other hand, looking internationally, foreign coaches with advanced coaching concepts and familiarity with international table tennis trends will be introduced to inject new vitality into the coaching team. At the same time, a complete coaching echelon training system will be established. Middle-aged and young coaches will collaborate and complement each other's strengths. Veteran coaches, relying on years of accumulated experience, will control the direction of training and formulate tactical strategies. Middle-aged and young coaches will leverage innovative thinking, communicate more smoothly with young players, and assist in improving their skills and psychological counseling. The new coaching team will adhere to the concept of scientific training. Tailor-made training plans will be formulated based on each player's unique talents, technical characteristics, and personality traits. While providing solid support for the growth of players, it will ensure that the national table tennis team maintains strong competitiveness in future endeavors.
Liu Guoliang's public appearance and candid response, like a timely rain, extinguished the various speculations outside. With his actions, he proved that he still firmly stands on the command platform of the national table tennis team. Those unfounded rumors of dismissal were shattered and turned into nothingness in the face of his firm words.
Conclusion
Through the He Xiaolong incident, it also reminds the vast audience and fans. When facing online comments and speculations, we must always maintain rationality and objectivity. At the same time, how athletes correctly respond to public opinion doubts, maintain a good mentality and image, is also an issue that needs consideration. Only by properly handling and responding to public opinion can they water the flowers of their dreams with sweat and continue to shine on the world table tennis stage.
