Why so much hate against boosters?

[pedro.dantas]

Why does people in this forum hate boosting so much? Every rubber already comes with fabric booster, so why is cheating to use booster? It's even more weird to hate chinese boosted rubbers, since it's much more difficult to use them than any european or hybrid rubber.
Can someone explain?

 

[NextLevel]

Why does people in this forum hate boosting so much? Every rubber already comes with fabric booster, so why is cheating to use booster? It's even more weird to hate chinese boosted rubbers, since it's much more difficult to use them than any european or hybrid rubber.
Can someone explain?

Mostly for one of two reasons:

1. Some people like to follow rules and boosting is against the rules (or their intent) even if it is hard to test for and not directly tested for. In this case boosting can give a rubber properties it does not have when sold commercially and without special education on rubber preparation, the properties from boosting are not easily accessible to anyone who buys the rubber.

2. Boosting is sometimes hard to consistently control for quality and stability of the rubber's performance. The hassle of doing it and sometimes the impact on the rubbers longevity or performance consistency makes it a hassle for some to repeatedly do and control. Therefore some would rather buy something that comes with stable properties out of the package and that lasts a relatively long time.

 

[BlotOnPaper]

I hate how we know pretty much nothing about what exactly booster contains. I think it should be legalized but controlled - both factory and individual boosting. It would benefit every party without bringing any real downsides if done with propper methods. This way there would be near zero health risk concerns, full transparency both for pro and amateur players and the ability to control it to some extent from the federation if there is a potential danger. I don't know any booster that has fully labeled ingredient list. And we don't even talk about factory boosting, brands can use pretty much anything and we would not know. It's such a stupid system on every level it just pisses me off.

 

[joshmak10]

Because it's "illegal"

 

[lodro]

You are completely wrong

Why does people in this forum hate boosting so much?

You are completely wrong. There are only a very few members here that do hate boosting but the majority really does not care either way

 

[zeio]

Why does people in this forum hate boosting so much? Every rubber already comes with fabric booster, so why is cheating to use booster? It's even more weird to hate chinese boosted rubbers, since it's much more difficult to use them than any european or hybrid rubber.
Can someone explain?

Because many people hate Sharara for putting table tennis in this situation in the push for sustainability, which ironically, was led by the hypocritical Western world (14% of world population taking 50% quota of future carbon emissions (1 ton of C = 3.67 tons of CO2) while conveniently ignoring all their historical carbon emissions). The developing and third world countries want to develop? Pay for our quota which are for sale, suckers! You see where this is going? (climate change is no hoax but the "remedy" certainly is) In a similar way, on the premise of a green(er) future, Sharara is believed to be in collusion with interested parties of the leading manufacturers to come up with yet another way to milk the hard-earned money of table tennis communities across the world (the majority are akin to developing and third world countries here). Therefore, as a form of revenge and middle finger, many people have become vigilantes that will carry out Sharara's "false goal" to a T.

丁仲礼问柴静：中国人是不是人？（完整版） (Ding Zhongli to Chai Jing: Do Chinese people count as human beings? (Full version))
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1AT4y1V7zC?t=1889

Vladimir Putin criticises Greta Thunberg's UN speech on climate change - BBC News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CnyqLogH0Y

"How dare you?" - Emotional Greta Thunberg attacks world leaders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVlRompc1yE

 

[Olio]

I have rarely seen a less relevant answer to a question.

I agree only a few people care about boosting. Most don't care. I personally don't mind. There is a binary test, racket is ok or not) and manufacturers can boost. Why can't we? (I don't)

 

[nablaz]

Because many people hate Sharara for putting table tennis in this situation in the push for sustainability, which ironically, was led by the hypocritical Western world (14% of world population taking 50% quota of future carbon emissions (1 ton of C = 3.67 tons of CO2) while conveniently ignoring all their historical carbon emissions). The developing and third world countries want to develop? Pay for our quota which are for sale, suckers! You see where this is going? (climate change is no hoax but the "remedy" certainly is) In a similar way, on the premise of a green(er) future, Sharara is believed to be in collusion with interested parties of the leading manufacturers to come up with yet another way to milk the hard-earned money of table tennis communities across the world (the majority are akin to developing and third world countries here). Therefore, as a form of revenge and middle finger, many people have become vigilantes that will carry out Sharara's "false goal" to a T.

丁仲礼问柴静：中国人是不是人？（完整版） (Ding Zhongli to Chai Jing: Do Chinese people count as human beings? (Full version))
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1AT4y1V7zC?t=1889

Vladimir Putin criticises Greta Thunberg's UN speech on climate change - BBC News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CnyqLogH0Y

"How dare you?" - Emotional Greta Thunberg attacks world leaders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVlRompc1yE

Man, I don't know what you're on, but it sounds good and I want some! 🤣

 

[thisisit]

I hate how we know pretty much nothing about what exactly booster contains.

= "i hate how i need to read and do research stuff. why don't i know shit just by wishing it? this sucks!"

 

[NDH]

I don’t like or hate it…. But I’m SO HAPPY it’s not legal or the “expected” thing to do like Speed Glue was.

It was SUCH a pain to glue the rubbers each time, with the possibility of the rubber not being quite the same as the last time.

I think it also creates an unnecessary equipment barrier for juniors - With some being able to access it (both product and knowledge) and others not.

Let’s be clear. It is illegal. Plain and simple.

Imagine telling a junior “don’t worry about cheating….. everyone else does it”.

How is that different to any other cheating scandal like Lance Armstrong in Le Tour De France?

Either way, in the UK at least, it’s very much a minority issue - Hardly anyone is doing it as far as I know!

 

[lightspin]

Personally boosting doesn't make much difference and I don't care about. It definitely isn't like the dramatic difference speed glue made.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Either way, in the UK at least, it’s very much a minority issue - Hardly anyone is doing it as far as I know!

In most places, it is minority issue - including China.
the hobby/amateur market is still way bigger than the professional/semi professional market.

on the pro/semi pro side, you have boosters problem, you also have those kids changing rubbers every week or second week, while the "normal" kids are at a huge disadvantage that change maybe once every few months or years. Changing rubbers may not be cheating, but table tennis isn't a fair playing field no matter what angle we look at it.
And then we don't use the all the rules in the pro space for the amateur space - ie flooring, lighting, spacing, but then we here using Pro rules to some rules (but never all of it).

I think booster is something ITTF need to address in the pro space. This is the same as serving rule where everyone is trying to get that border line advantage.

This border line advantage is no different to someone having they personal chefs, or massage staff with them, or simply just an admin person booking the trips/hotel/flights - allowing the players to be worry free. These examples are things that even top 50 pros in the world don't have, but some weaker player from China for example, will have the perks due to uneven playing field.

End of the day, booster is such a small market compared to rubbers being sold and is only a problem in the pro space, especially in the top 100, where it becomes a majority.

It is against the rules, but it is not illegal - since there is no ways for ITTF to determine legality due to its own ruling that boosters is allowed if the manufacture puts its on. Using your Lance Armstrong example - it means if the hospital gave you the illegal substance, then it is legal - I mean, if it is illegal, it should be illegal for all, not just some.

Just in case you didn't know, the disassembling of the rubber at racket control after the match, cannot check for booster. It is only to check the thickness of the rubber and flatness of the blade. So ITTF has no ways to test, and then you have igor posting his hate messages so many times that OP things TTD hates boosters.... Only igor hate boosters on TTD as far as I can tell

 

[Colestt]

I never liked any tuner...too much speed not enough spin. But im also not a fan of the ittf saying manufacturers can but you can't just so they can charge more.

 

[thisisit]

I don’t like or hate it…. But I’m SO HAPPY it’s not legal or the “expected” thing to do like Speed Glue was.

It was SUCH a pain to glue the rubbers each time, with the possibility of the rubber not being quite the same as the last time.

I think it also creates an unnecessary equipment barrier for juniors - With some being able to access it (both product and knowledge) and others not.

Let’s be clear. It is illegal. Plain and simple.

Imagine telling a junior “don’t worry about cheating….. everyone else does it”.

How is that different to any other cheating scandal like Lance Armstrong in Le Tour De France?

Either way, in the UK at least, it’s very much a minority issue - Hardly anyone is doing it as far as I know!

if one would take the rule that implies that boosting is illegal seriously (2.4.7 The racket covering shall be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment.) than one should also conclude that cutting or handling the rubber in any way is illegal.
imo, that's silly. the same way thinking applying voc free petrochemical compounds on the sponge of a rubber is illegal, is silly.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

if one would take the rule that implies that boosting is illegal seriously (2.4.7 The racket covering shall be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment.) than one should also conclude that cutting or any handling the rubber in any way is illegal.
imo, that's silly. the same way thinking applying voc free petrochemical compounds on the sponge of a rubber is illegal, is silly.

you are spot on.
when my sweat fell onto the rubber, my rubber is also illegal and the umpires can see that but don't take action to the illegal activity.

even the chemical compound h-h-o or my breadth, the umpires are fine too.

 

[Tyce]

Putting Igor on ignore solved the issue for me. I don't like using booster, because I think it's a hassle and gives inconsistent results. Not because I think it is illegal.
At my level, nobody is going to win even a single point due to booster. If anything, the inconsistency from manual application of boosters will lose people points (at my level).
So I don't care if you use it or not.
Using booster to refresh a half dead, shrunk rubber is just good economy.
Using booster in such amounts that you end up with 4mm+ rubber, honestly I don't care. See if you can control that.

Now speedglue, that was nasty, toxic fuming stuff. The performance enhancing part wasn't the problem. The horrible vapours stinking up the venues was.

 

[NextLevel]

if one would take the rule that implies that boosting is illegal seriously (2.4.7 The racket covering shall be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment.) than one should also conclude that cutting or handling the rubber in any way is illegal.
imo, that's silly. the same way thinking applying voc free petrochemical compounds on the sponge of a rubber is illegal, is silly.

It is a war of words, are those things really physical chemical or other "treatment", treatment being that which changes the playing characteristics of the rubber?

 

[zeio]

Man, I don't know what you're on, but it sounds good and I want some! 🤣

You must be young to have missed the good old times when Adham Sharara joined the forums, namely MyTT and OOAK, and answered various questions and got drawn into the ensuing debates. Some folks got into the philosophical aspect of life and what it meant to be an abiding citizen in a civil society and opposing side even contemplated a revolution if push came to shove... It was eye-opening how much free time folks in first world countries had to think like the ancient Greek. Over a decade later, the world we live in today has never been more politically-charged since the end of WWII.

 

[nablaz]

You must be young to have missed the good old times when Adham Sharara joined the forums, namely MyTT and OOAK, and answered various questions and got drawn into the ensuing debates. Some folks got into the philosophical aspect of life and what it meant to be an abiding citizen in a civil society and opposing side even contemplated a revolution if push came to shove... It was eye-opening how much free time folks in first world countries had to think like the ancient Greek. Over a decade later, the world we live in today has never been more politically-charged since the end of WWII.

I'm 37, I don't know if that's "young" for you but I'll take that as a compliment... 😜

In all seriousness, I had no idea about the Sharara joining the forums and sparking discussions thing.
That said, it still seems far fetched to indirectly quote that event and then go on a rant about world politics when answering OP's question "Why does people in this forum hate boosting so much?".

 

[rbtitco]

Dante's first circle of hell is for sketchy servers, it continues through to purposeful ball wetters, then onto people who wet the ball right back, eventually culminating in the terrible 9th circle. This swirling cauldron of hate and despair is reserved strictly for H3 boosters and celebrities that issue crypto tokens- the lowest of the low.