OOAK Table Tennis Forum

As Adham has kindly agreed to keep us up to date with new ITTF developments, here is his latest update for the OOAK Forum:

feels like another plan to help the other countries catch up with the quality of the Chinese Natonial Team. I like the idea, there is a downside where you will have the countries fighting it out to see which 2 players get to the games

I can see the reasoning behind this proposal, but can't help but think that whoever gets 3rd place is not really the 3rd best player...

The objective behind the proposal is not to see the best players get to the Games. It is rather a ridiculous method to distribute medals, not through actual skill and strength competing, but merely by manipulation.

Well they do explain WHY they're proposing it (first post), but I don't know enough about to decide if it's beneficial for our sport or not.

Hate it, and I see no benefit of this at all. When I watch the Olympic games or the World Championships or what ever, I do it to get to watch the best players in the world play. With this rule, way to many of them will not be allowed to compete. Remember, we are not only talking about Chinese players being left out as a fair deal of other countries also have a third player being higher ranked then many countries first player. Japan, Korea and Germany for example.

I also think this works against ITTF's will to increase popularity by lengthening the rallies, since a lot of lesser players will participate, there will be more third ball kills, great rallies are often achieved by matching players of similar level.

Then we have the risk of seeing more players changing nationality to get a chance to play the Olympic games. Neither of these things will help increase the sports popularity.

I don't disagree, but I can see some potential benefits as well:

- Countries other than China have a better chance of a medal... this could be a lift for that country.

- More countries can put in teams, so this would benefits those countries that normally don't get in.

I'd say that having one less player from each country would probably not making it less enjoyable to watch... most of the top players are great to watch, and sometimes the lower ranked players can be just as entertaining...

hahaha yes next they will limit the jamacian sprinters to just two

"Manipulation" seems to be the right word to me. The whole thing is a disgrace. I am sure the vast majority even of non-Chinese players would vote against it, if they could.

I absolutely agree with speedplay's view.
And I can't help but to believe this is yet another adulterate act of a certain motive. Surely it will hamper the participation of this Olympic Games by more people around the world.

Why are people so upset and talk about manipulation? It is nothing new. Manipulation is what we have now, what we will have in the future and what we have always had.

Is it so hard to understand that all through Olympic history there has been a limitation to participants, i.e. a manipulation of the athletes allowed to take part? It is by necessity and that has not changed. The discussed change is for one less player per nation to be allowed to take part as of 2012. The end result is that it enables more nations to take part in Olympic table tennis. I am sure we all agree that that is a disgrace and really, really bad for the sport, don't we?

Most of you talk about the fact that all the best players will not be allowed to take part. Think back, and tell me when they ever were. The limitations have always been in place for the Olympics. The idea of the IOC and the Olympics is to allow a maximum number of nations to participate, not only the top 50 athletes on the world ranking. This is evident in other Olympic sports as well. It is not a table tennis issue alone.

And I am sure that if they could vote and did the way you assume they would, the IOC would make sure that vote never mattered. The Olympics are run by the IOC in the IOC's interests, not in the world's table tennis players interest.

No matter how much you want to makes this a solely ITTF related issue to discredit them, it will remain a fact that the IOC run the Olympics as they see fit and the ITTF can not force anything on them.

Quite the contrary, it will enable more nations to participate at the Olympics in table tennis.

On the contrary, I insist, the issue of how many players represent a National Association at the Olympics is indeed a solely ITTF related issue. The ITTF rules support my opinion:



The Olympic and Paralympic Commission is a body of the ITTF:

Yes, off course the rules can be read to support your opinion. In this case only because you - sadly, but conveniently - choose to ignore the fact that IOC is part of the equation and the body that ultimately manages and runs the Olympics.

For your logic to work, the IOC will have to have no influence whatsoever about the total number of participants any individual sports send to the Olympics. Do you really believe the IOC has chosen not to have any influence over their own event? Do you really believe that they do not issue at a minimum guidelines to any international sports bodies?

Judging by your argumentation, I guess you do. Anyhow, who am I to stop you from believing that the almighty ITTF is bigger, stronger and can force the hand of the IOC? It is your prerogative, albeit a bit delusional, I am afraid.