Fan Zhendong, the 27-year-old table tennis superstar, recently made a shocking decision to withdraw from the world rankings. The reasons behind this decision are complex and varied, but the most direct trigger is undoubtedly the $5,000 fine imposed by WTT (World Table Tennis Professional League) for his absence from the competition. The fine quickly sparked widespread controversy within and outside the table tennis community. Fan Zhendong believes that such punishment is too harsh and unacceptable. Compared with other national table tennis players, his income level does not have an advantage, so his reaction to this fine is more intense. This incident not only exposes Fan Zhendong's personal embarrassing situation but also reflects the attitude and response of the entire national table tennis team towards the new rules. Fan Zhendong is currently in an awkward position where he is neither young nor old. With Ma Long and Xu Xin about to retire and the rise of younger players like Wang Chuqin, his status has become delicate. In terms of commercial value, the national table tennis team has not vigorously supported Fan Zhendong, which makes his reaction to the fine even more intense and highlights the issues of his status and treatment within the team. In addition to the fine incident, the new regulations of WTT restrict the freedom of players, which is also one of the important reasons why Fan Zhendong decided to withdraw from the world rankings. Similarly, Chen Meng also withdrew from the world rankings due to dissatisfaction with the new regulations, further highlighting the general dissatisfaction of the…

With the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) officially establishing a working group to investigate the existing regulations of the World Table Tennis (WTT), the turmoil caused by Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng, and Ma Long's withdrawal from the world rankings and WTT events has temporarily subsided. However, behind the incident, Liu Guoliang, who holds three positions, has become the true target of public scrutiny. WTT, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ITTF, is ostensibly used by the ITTF to host commercial events, with the hope that WTT will follow the model of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments in the future. It should be noted that WTT organizes commercial matches unrelated to the Olympics, World Cup, and World Championships, which are the three major international events. However, what has deeply angered many table tennis players is the high correlation between WTT's rules and the eligibility of players to participate in world-class competitions. WTT stipulates that the top 100 ranked athletes in the world must participate in WTT events. If they fail to attend without justifiable reasons, they will not only be fined but also assigned zero points. These points directly determine a player's world ranking, and without sufficient points, it directly affects their opportunity to participate in major international events. This is the real reason why Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng have opposed WTT, and it is also why many foreign association players have strongly supported them. In this context, Liu Guoliang, not only the chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), the chairman of the WTT board of directors,…

On January 6th, Beijing time, the WTT Star Challenge Doha station opened, with no Chinese team players participating in the first day's qualifying matches, leaving the national table tennis team without any matches on the first day. What netizens and fans are most concerned about is still the self-examination of ITTF and WTT as well as the financial report of WTT. This article introduces the former chairman Thomas Weikert, current chairman Petra Sorling, ITTF Chief Executive Officer Steve Danton, and the current power structure of ITTF to interpret the power structure of the upper management of the International Table Tennis Federation. Firstly, it should be noted that almost all international organizations in the world are currently controlled by Europeans and Americans. As an international sports organization, the International Table Tennis Federation can be likened to "occupying a mountain as a king" in an inappropriate metaphor. Theoretically, the International Olympic Committee is the superior organization of the International Table Tennis Federation, but the IOC cannot carry out substantive supervision over the International Table Tennis Federation. Legally speaking, the Court of Arbitration for Sport is an institution that constrains almost all international sports organizations, but that is only symbolic. From the perspective of financial situation and organizational management, the International Table Tennis Federation has high autonomy. Who can become the president of the International Table Tennis Federation? There have been eight presidents of the International Table Tennis Federation so far, only Ichiyo Oikawa and Xu Yisheng were former world-class players, and Sharara had worked as a coach for the Canadian team early…

In the arena of table tennis, where tradition meets modernity and passion intertwines with wisdom, every change in rules can spark extensive discussions and profound impacts. Recently, a new regulation introduced by WTT (World Table Tennis), the commercial entity under the International Table Tennis Federation, has caused ripples akin to a stone thrown into a lake, stirring not only the nerves of athletes but also prompting deep reflections from all sectors of society on athlete rights, sportsmanship, and the commercialization of events. I. The Outbreak of Controversy: The Introduction of New Rules and Athlete Protests At the heart of the WTT's new regulations is the requirement that athletes must participate in its commercial events or face hefty fines, with no exceptions except for physical reasons. This stipulation feels like a tight-fitting curse to many athletes, causing them to feel restrained and unfairly treated. Two top Chinese national team players, Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng, as pioneers of the protest, resolutely chose to withdraw from the world rankings to express their dissatisfaction and resistance to the new rules. Their actions are not only a defense of their personal rights but also a courageous voice against the current state of table tennis. II. The Escalation of Events: Multiple Responses and Heightened Controversy As athlete protests escalated, WTT quickly responded, but its explanations failed to quell public outrage. An in-depth investigation by CCTV News further exposed various issues in WTT's commercial operations, such as the huge gap between ticket revenue and prize money, and the indifference towards athlete injuries. The plight of Nigerian…

It seems that everyone has noticed a change in the public perception of Liu Guoliang since the "Three Musketeers" stepped down from the stage. His reputation, once characterized by the phrase "anyone can do it," has shifted to a more cautious and uncertain stance. One might conclude that Liu Guoliang's actual coaching and management abilities are lower than his own self-perception. Perhaps he was just lucky to have encountered the "Three Musketeers" during a period of great fortune for the national table tennis team, leading him to believe that the team was invincible and that anyone could become a world champion. However, reality has proven otherwise, especially after Fan Zhendong announced his withdrawal from the WTT world rankings, which significantly increased the public pressure on Liu Guoliang. Take, for example, the opening ceremony of the Ping Pong Super League Finals on December 30, 2024. When the host introduced Liu Guoliang, there were noticeable boos from the audience. Moreover, the live broadcast chat was filled with calls for Liu Guoliang to step down and be investigated. So, how did Liu Guoliang and the national table tennis team end up in their current state in just a few short years? It all started with the men's singles round of 16 at the Paris Olympics. For many, July 31, 2024, is a memorable day. It not only exposed Liu Guoliang's cognitive errors but also served as a wake-up call to those who care about table tennis, revealing that the future of the national team is not as smooth sailing as previously thought. Let's…

Liu Guoliang, Chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), has made a positive response to the withdrawal of Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng from the world rankings. This decision by two top players in the international table tennis arena has left fans puzzled and sparked widespread discussion. The CTTA quickly approved their applications and notified the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Surprisingly, veteran player Ma Long also made the same decision, escalating the situation. In an interview with CCTV, Liu Guoliang provided insightful comments on the matter, which somewhat calmed the concerns of fans. He emphasized that athletes have their own rights and their choices should be respected. Liu stated that top athletes like Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng have their own thoughts and considerations, and the CTTA fully understands and supports them. He also pointed out that there are areas for improvement in some rules and penalty systems of the World Table Tennis Professional League (WTT). Fan reactions were diverse. Some sympathized with Liu Guoliang for having to balance national honor and athlete interests; others were dissatisfied with WTT's rules, finding them too strict; while many stood firmly behind Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng, advocating for the protection of athletes' rights. During this turmoil, there were some noteworthy details. For instance, the excitement around the Table Tennis Super League finals paled in comparison to this issue. A sharp question from a CCTV journalist asked whether the WTT organization should better understand the difficulties faced by athletes instead of relying on fines to assert authority. Liu Guoliang's identity is…

Wei Jizhong, as a landmark figure in the Chinese sports world, is almost impossible to overlook for his contributions to Chinese sports and his influence in the international sports arena. Especially in the process of promoting Beijing's bid for the Olympics, his role was crucial. Everyone knows that Beijing successfully hosted the 2008 Olympics, but did you know? Behind all this, Wei Jizhong was undoubtedly a key player. At that time, he was not only the pioneer of the Olympic industry but also the "big brother" of China's sports industry. Speaking of Wei Jizhong's achievements, just his role in Beijing's Olympic bid is enough to make him a memorable figure in history. Don't look at his short stature and mild temperament; he's not someone that can be compared to by just anyone. He not only did a lot of work behind the scenes, coordinating resources, rallying support from all sides, but also won China a voice in the international sports community, bringing unprecedented opportunities and challenges to China's sports industry. Especially in the power play among those old-timers in the International Olympic Committee at the time, Wei Jizhong's calmness and keenness were not something just anyone could possess. Honestly, Wei Jizhong was once hailed as the "Father of the Olympic Industry," but behind these accolades, there were actually many unknown controversies. Especially some later events completely shattered his "perfect image" in the public eye. Especially at the age of 88, the article he published, "Using up my last light to help, without grievances for the better development of Chinese sports,…

Fan Zhendong's name is destined to be recorded in the history of world table tennis! This refers not only to the various honors Fan Zhendong has won, but also his courageous action of leading the withdrawal from the world rankings and WTT events. As the men's singles champion of the Paris Olympics, Fan Zhendong suddenly announced his "withdrawal" decision at the end of 2024, triggering high attention from across the country and even the global table tennis community. Subsequently, Chen Meng, the women's singles champion of the Paris Olympics, and Ma Long, the Olympic "six-time gold medalist," also withdrew from the world rankings and WTT events one after another. Apart from Ma Long's main reason for withdrawing being related to personal retirement, Chen Meng's withdrawal was for the same reason as Fan Zhendong's, both expressing dissatisfaction with the new rule imposed by WTT that "non-participation will result in fines." With Fan Zhendong's brave act, support has come not only from many domestic official media, numerous table tennis fans, but also from several foreign association players. Now, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has also become involved, set to review the existing regulations of WTT. Not only has a five-person investigation team been established, but Liu Guoliang has also been excluded. To fully understand the development of this incident, let's start with Fan Zhendong's official announcement of withdrawal. At the end of 2024, Fan Zhendong, a super grand slam player and men's singles champion of the Paris Olympics, suddenly announced on social media that he would proactively withdraw from the world…

The withdrawal of Fan Zhendong from the international rankings has sparked interest in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the World Table Tennis Corporation (WTT). Liu Guoliang, the head of the national table tennis team, holds three positions: chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, executive vice-chairman of the ITTF, and chairman of the WTT board. Recently, media outlets have been digging into some doubts surrounding these roles, providing some insights. Shanghai Television's Look News program raised several questions: for example, how can the ITTF ensure the depth and objectivity of its investigation into WTT when they are essentially the same entity? Additionally, why has the ITTF's 100% stake in WTT become 85%, and where did the remaining 15% go? Why hasn't WTT's 2023 financial report been made public yet? Today, Tencent Sports' "Husen Observation" column published a deep article that provides some answers. The article clarifies that WTT is a company dedicated to operating the ITTF's tour events, and they are undoubtedly one entity. Some netizens even found out that the official accounts of the ITTF and WTT may be operated by the same person or company, so the ITTF's so-called investigation into WTT is akin to investigating itself, which will likely yield no results. However, the ITTF originally held 100% of WTT's shares, which later became 85%. Where did the remaining 15% go? The article answers this question. A meeting record of the ITTF shows that the 15% was transferred to a company called "Word Sports," whose legal representative is Lei Zhenjian. He also attended the meeting…

On December 19, 2024, the Supreme People's Procuratorate announced that it would legally arrest Gou Zhongwen, the former director of the General Administration of Sport. As a core leader in the sports field, Gou Zhongwen's actions during his tenure deeply affected Liu Guoliang and Cai Zhenhua. Since the investigation into Gou Zhongwen began in May, more than six months have passed, and now there is finally a result, which has excited all netizens. So, what did Gou Zhongwen do during his tenure? Why has he become the focus of attention on the Internet? Before 2016, the Chinese sports world had hardly heard of Gou Zhongwen's name. As for why he could suddenly become the highest leader of the sports administration, it all started with the resignation of the then director, Liu Peng. When Liu Peng was about to step down, everyone speculated about the new director. As the teacher of national table tennis mainstays Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui, Cai Zhenhua, who represented our country in international events such as the World Table Tennis Championships and the Olympics and became a world champion many times, became the most speculated candidate at the time. But just when everyone thought Cai Zhenhua was about to take office, the position of director was suddenly given to Gou Zhongwen, who had nothing to do with the sports world. Before this, Gou Zhongwen had been serving as the dean of the Electronic Information Department and had never been involved in the sports world. Everyone believed that as a key position, the director of the General…