OOAK Table Tennis Forum

As far as I know, there are no official rules regarding edge tape, as long as they don't protrude beyond the rubber surface.

If you use a really wide tape, and wrap it around over the rubber surface to protect the edge, I would expect you could get into trouble with a referee. This would make the rubber surface no longer continuous, so rule 2.4.5 would be violated:
2.4.5 The blade, any layer within the blade and any layer of covering material or adhesive on a side used for striking the ball shall be continuous and of even thickness.

Although I can't see an applicable rule, if your edge tape is super thick, like 3mm or more, it may look a little odd, and possible more balls could come off the edge at funny angles... so it may be questioned, but I can't see an applicable rule though...

Can anyone else think of a rule that may disqualify your bat, due to an unusual type of edge tape or application?

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If the edge tape is shiny or reflective or bright or the same colour as the ball, it could be said to be distracting your opponent. I'd have to look up the exact rule wording.

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

So we are looking for a loophole here?

I think the continuous surface thing would be the only rule in that even if its above the edge but not folded it still makes a change in the surface. Of course it would only be a tourney ref that's likely to object...or maybe an over-anxious opponent

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Gee.. in the old days it was perfectly OK to play with rubber that was too small for the racket face (maybe one that was originally cut to fit a smaller blade), or rubber that was slightly too large. These days people worry about little bits of topsheet missing from the edges. Why has it gotten so persnickety?

Iskandar

To a certain extent, this is flowing down from the rules for international competitions conducted by the ITTF. Certain national associations / provincial associations / local associations / tournament organisers do have local rules overriding these - eg our local association does not allow time-outs in pennant competition nor coaching between points.

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

... and a bunch of people in a garage or gym can agree to any rules.

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

Did you find anything more on this Retriever?

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I wrote:

haggisv wrote:


I have just skimmed, then searched for "tape" and "edge" this document:
https://d3mjm6zw6cr45s.cloudfront.net/2018/02/2018ITTFHandbook_v2.pdf_0.pdf

but could find nothing specific to edge tape.

There is:
3.2.2.5 Any markings or trimming on the front or side of a playing garment and any objects such as jewellery worn by a player shall not be so conspicuous or brightly reflecting as to unsight an opponent

which I would apply to edge tape if it is "so conspicuous or brightly reflecting as to unsight an opponent".

Locally we used to have an "anti-dazzle rule" which prohibited white shirt or shorts no matter if the ball was orange. There were then "debates" when people argued that an off white shirt was actually grey

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

Why would it apply to edge tape at all? Edge tape isn't on "the front side of a playing garment" nor is it an "objects such as jewellery WORN BY A PLAYER". I think the persnickety environment we find ourselves in is due to people engaging in this sort of exercise - can we find some new interpretation of the rules that MIGHT APPLY to something it's never applied to before?? I'm totally against it. If you want a rule against dazzling edge tape, then pass a rule that targets dazzling edge tape. Don't go trolling through the rules to figure out what MIGHT be used against someone with dazzling edge tape.

Iskandar

I asked the question, and Retriever kindly found some answers for me.
No-one is arguing that there should be a rule for this, and I think 99% or umpires/referees will be sensible and allow just about anything, as long as it's not specifically designed to distract an opponent.

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The reason I object to this sort of thinking is that it leads to creeping persnicketism. And it's just not in table tennis either. Eventually you'll find yourself prevented from doing stuff that was perfectly OK just a little while ago because someone thought it would be a good idea to ban something they didn't like, so they make up new interpretations of existing rules to fit the situation. Reminds me of this video I found a couple weeks ago.



Iskandar

Those BIZZZARE edge tapes over 2 MM thick would be banned by a Referee. It is the advice as we now got from a competent international umpire.

See what I mean??? OK then.. what rule applies to those?????? Ridiculous. You can't just make up rules as you go, or pretend that some rule applies when it doesn't. Even if you are a top "International umpire".

Iskandar

iskandar,

Would you like to play someone who has irridescent shiny white edge tape that draws the eye so much better that the ball?

I wouldn't. I would view such edge tape as almost being jewellery. I think that not having to play against someone with such equipment is almost common sense.

I also just looked at the Handbook for Match Officials, which also doesn't discuss edge tape.

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

Maybe not, but maybe I don't like the look of his shorts (I mean, some people might object to Saive's diaper-like shorts because they're "distracting"), or his hairstyle either. Maybe hairstyle could be interpreted as jewelry, too. I mean, how would YOU feel if someone objected to something about your equipment, citing a new interpretation of some rule that had nothing to do with it? I don't object to banning such edge tape and other dazzling accoutrements, but I DO object to trying to find "hidden meanings" behind pre-existing rules in order to use against something you might not like. Igor doesn't like 2mm thick edge tape, so he says it's "BIZARRE" and tries to get some "international umpire" to come up with some new stretchy interpretation of a rule (which, he hasn't specified yet) in order to ban it. (A lot of people use thick edge tape, by the way..) I say, if you want to ban dazzling edge tape, then pass a rule (or amend an existing rule) to explicitly ban dazzling edge tape. YOU might think it's jewelry, but that's really stretching it and if someone tried to ban MY edge tape based on it being jewelry I'd file a protest or otherwise make a stink.

I laugh when I think back to how Ma Long was made to change rackets after damaging a tiny piece of rubber near the edge by hitting the table, and there, right behind the players, were these mega-distracting animation-playing video backboards.

Iskandar