OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Some of us with pimple (or anti-spin) rubbers may wish to glue a different sponge to the topsheet. Some pimple and antispin topsheets are available in OX so that this can be done.

I don't believe there are any rules against this, and it's still perfectly legal, as long as it does not violate the overall thickness rules and the sponge is made of legal material.

As far as I know this has not changed, is this correct?

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according to Igor = illegal and you will go to hell.

However even if rubbers are now tested with topsheet + sponge, some time in the past they weren't - it was only the topsheet that was approved. So if you have one of those topsheets that was approved long enough ago that it was approved before that change in testing, then it's either legal to use your own sponge or a grey area. However at some point they get re-tested don't they? so how do we know which rubbers have been re-tested, and if that new test includes a sponge now or if they are re-testing using the old methods?

PS: We must question Igor as to why he is promoting mechanical modification of an approved rubber with the use of stretching / rolling. Surely this is as illegal as chemical modification.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE SPONGE IS DUE AND OVERDUE.

As far as I know the whole matter is still unresolved. The rule 3.2.1.3 states that sandwich rubber must be an ITTF approved combination both of sponge and topsheet.
So far there is no way for umpire to know if the sponge underneath meets all ITTF standards. It is not a sane situation anyway.

We do expect the past EQC proposal that every sponge underlayer should be marked with an identity stamp to come in force next year 2025. Till then, any sponge is allowed for sandwich combination.

Surely a stamp is easy to forge. You can put a stamp on any sponge. It's just ink. And that's what pro players will do.

I contacted the ITTF Equipment team yesterday and asked them directly.

I received a helpful response from Emese Barsai, Equipment Manager today. This was their response.

"Thank you for your e-mail.

Please find below the answer for your questions.

Basically, you can add att spong to the OX versions and use the OX versions of pimple OUT/LONG rubbers with sponge too.

For your information, we would like to handle this topic in the future and have clear rules on this matter and also to be able to check it during racket control. However, you can do this right now.

BUT you can not remove a sponge from a pimple IN/ANTI racket covering and change it. This is approved as completed rubber so you can not change it.

I hope it helps.

Best regards,


Emese Barsai

Equipment Manager"

So there you go haggisv, straight from the horse's mouth. Sponge can only be added to OX versions and you can't change sponge that was already attached.

This was my assumption as well but I was waiting for some members to respond.It REALLY IS another part of the tweaking ...... not only do some people change the features of ox and sponge versions but also change the sponge altogether .This has been very common with both choppers , anti players and double inverted ones- whether defensive or loopers-

TALK TO any pro or semipro Chinese looper - the first thing they do is to change the original sponge .

It is hard to know if they have changed the sponge???? my theory is it is NOT !!! but the inspectors are concerned with the obvious matters,which any intelligent coach knows how to tweak without them noticing anything .

better laugh ..... do not cry for me Argentina :

THank you Debater!

_________________
OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

ONE MORE REMARK ON RECENT EQC PROPOSITIONS.
(insider information, no promulgations please) .

Apart from internal production data, an identity label (ID) must be an everpresent component on every sandwich rubber intended for market.

The main purpose of having ID on every sponge sheet is to prevent those crafty hands from making illegal modifications on sandwich rubbers, in defiance of the set rules. 3.2.1.3 / 3.4.2.2
ITTF is increasingly concerned about the abundance of non-rubber materials on market, eg. cellular plastics.

During the racket control procedure, the ITTF number present on topsheet and sponge must be coincident. If not, racket is judged as outlaw.

What about the rubbers that were approved before the id numbers were introduced? EG: 999. They don't need them still right?

Also thanks Igor for taking the initiative on contacting the people at the ITTF.

Also, where to buy good quality sponges? I can see that some stores carry the 729 sponges, but if I wanted a quality, fast Japanese sponge, can I get that anywhere?