Recently, Chinese table tennis star and Olympic champion Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng announced their withdrawal from the world rankings, drawing widespread attention across the internet.
The incident began when Fan Zhendong encountered unfair refereeing decisions in WTT events, leading him to question the fairness and professionalism of WTT. As a top player in the table tennis world, Fan Zhendong is known for his exquisite skills and tenacious competitive spirit, and this dispute undoubtedly had a significant impact on his career and mental state.
Fan Zhendong published a lengthy article detailing his experiences in WTT events. He mentioned that he had been subjected to obvious unfair judgments in multiple competitions, which not only affected his performance but also dealt a severe blow to his self-confidence.
Fan Zhendong stated that he had repeatedly appealed to WTT but received no reasonable explanations or responses. He questioned whether there were issues with WTT's refereeing system and called on the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to investigate the matter.
The People's Political Consultative Conference (PPCC) reported on the issue, featuring it prominently on the front page. The article pointed out that Fan Zhendong's experience was not an isolated case; in recent years, the fairness and professionalism of WTT events have been a subject of controversy.
Many players have publicly expressed dissatisfaction with WTT's refereeing, but often chose silence due to various reasons. Fan Zhendong's courageous voice has undoubtedly injected a breath of fresh air into the entire table tennis community.
The PPCC emphasized in its article that fairness and justice in sports competition are the most basic bottom lines, and any behavior violating these should be condemned and combated.
As an international table tennis event organization, WTT should take responsibility for maintaining fair competition and ensuring that every player can compete in a fair environment.
With the escalation of the situation, members of the ITTF's foreign associations began to express their positions. Several foreign association members stated that they had long harbored doubts about WTT's refereeing system, and Fan Zhendong's experience intensified their concerns. They called on the ITTF to conduct an in-depth investigation and promptly provide reasonable explanations and responses.
The chairman of the German Table Tennis Association said in an interview that the fairness of sports competition is crucial, and any unfair judgment would harm the rights of athletes and the credibility of the competition. The ITTF should strengthen the training and management of referees to ensure their fairness and professionalism.
The Japanese Table Tennis Association also expressed concern about the matter. The chairman of the Japanese association said in an interview that Fan Zhendong's experience shocked and saddened them. They hope the ITTF can resolve this issue as soon as possible to ensure the fairness and justice of the competition.
In addition to external associations, players such as Zhou Qihao, Zhao Zihao, Timo Boll, Ma Long, Dimitrij Ovtcharov, the Lebesson brothers, and Jeon Jihee have given Fan Zhendong spiritual support. They all spoke out against WTT, accusing it of destroying a respected top player.
In this dispute, two victims bravely stepped forward to openly accuse WTT of unfair practices. These two victims were players who suffered unfair judgments in WTT events. They stated that their rights were severely damaged, yet WTT turned a blind eye to their appeals. One victim from Africa, Quadri Aruna, said he was repeatedly subjected to unfair judgments during matches, which not only affected his results but also caused significant psychological harm.
He stated that he had repeatedly appealed to WTT but received no reasonable response. He called on the ITTF to investigate the matter and seek justice for himself and other victims.
Another victim from Chile, Nicolas Burgos, said he also faced unfair judgments during matches, often at critical moments. He said these unfair judgments not only made his efforts futile but also greatly doubted the fairness of WTT. He stressed that what athletes need most is a fair and just competitive environment, not one plagued by unfair judgments.
Looking through the comment section, netizens expressed their opinions. Some supported Fan Zhendong's brave voice, believing he defended his rights and the credibility of the competition; others questioned the fairness of WTT, believing there were serious problems with its refereeing system; and some called on the ITTF to intervene in the investigation and provide reasonable explanations and responses as soon as possible.
A netizen commented, "Fan Zhendong's experience has shown us the problems with WTT's refereeing system. What athletes need most is a fair and just competitive environment. We hope the ITTF will conduct an in-depth investigation and promptly provide reasonable explanations and responses."
Another netizen said, "As an international table tennis event organization, WTT should take responsibility for maintaining fair competition. We hope they will seriously consider the appeals and complaints of athletes to ensure the fairness and professionalism of the competition."
In this dispute, we also see many rational voices. Some netizens pointed out that controversies and refereeing issues are inevitable in sports competitions, but the key lies in how these issues are handled. They call on all parties to remain calm and rational, resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation rather than taking extreme actions and statements.