Editorial | Table tennis row has the potential to cause irreparable damage

Table tennis is a sport at which China excels. The medal-winning feats of the country’s top players have made them national heroes. The revelation that three leading stars have quit the international rankings and, therefore, tournaments run by the sport’s governing body, has shocked the table tennis community and stunned fans.

Iconic figures Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng and Ma Long pulled out after publication by World Table Tennis (WTT) of new rules on fines and other penalties to be imposed on competitors who skip its tournaments. There is much sympathy for the three players and support for their position. The issue must be handled carefully and quickly resolved, otherwise it will snowball, causing irreparable damage to the sport.

Fan posted on social media he had no choice but to quit because of the rules. Chen made a similar announcement, warning her body could not bear too many high-intensity events. They highlighted the physical and psychological toll taken by their participation in the Paris Summer Olympics, in which they both won gold medals.

The controversy raises important questions about the demands made on players as sport becomes increasingly commercialised. There is also a need for clarity, as the rankings are used in the selection of China’s Olympics team.

WTT, formed by the governing body the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to run commercial tournaments, defended its rules. But the body has sensibly backed a much-needed move by the ITTF to set up a task force to review the regulations after consultation with players and other stakeholders. That process, announced on Friday, must result in a solution being found.

Changes for 2025 have seen some fines dropped but higher ones can be imposed on players who miss a WTT tournament and play in a different competition at the same time. Fines can reach US$5,000.