China table tennis chief backs Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng as Ma Long joins rankings boycott

The head of Chinese table tennis has described as “really questionable” the new rules that have prompted three of the country’s leading stars to withdraw from the world rankings.

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Olympic champions Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng stunned Chinese table tennis fans on Friday when they announced they had withdrawn from the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings.

When the world rankings were updated on Tuesday, it was revealed that another of the country’s Olympic heroes, Ma Long, had also removed himself.

The trio stepped away from the ITTF rankings after an announcement that players who missed World Table Tennis (WTT) tournaments to play in other events could be fined, with those in the top 20 facing a penalty of US$5,000.

Fan Zhendong in action for China’s men’s team at last year’s Paris Olympics. Photo: Xinhua

Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), who is also the ITTF deputy president and chair of the WTT council, said he would push the bodies to amend the rules.

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