Chinese Taipei player victim of ‘inappropriate contact’ at World Team Table Tennis Championships

Chinese Taipei said on Tuesday that a safe environment was fundamental after one of its table tennis players reported “inappropriate physical contact” during a security check into a major London tournament.

The player has not been officially named but local reports identified her as Cheng I-ching and she pledged on social media “to speak out for all female athletes”.

The 34-year-old is the self-ruled island’s highest-ranked woman at the World Team Championships in London, but has not played a match since it began on April 28.

“Ensuring all athletes compete in a fair, safe and respectful environment is a fundamental bottom line, and any form of inappropriate physical contact should never occur,” the Ministry of Sports said.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has said a woman player reported the incident during an entry security check at the venue on Saturday and an investigation was under way.

The ITTF said it was “deeply troubled” by the allegation.

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