Awkward state of boosting

[lodro]

Not all people are dumb enough to risk their health

that is of course true but the Voc-free boosters that are used these days do not damage your health and are not detectable by the sniffer tools used in ITTF sanctioned tournaments.

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

Someone else can probably answer that better than me.

Why is it okay for a player to use a boosted rubber if the process was done by the factory, but not okay for a player to do so themselves?

 

[gordonluvsu]

The debatte has a place, but not with @desertman and how aware and knowledgable he is about the entire Situation.

We would have to bring up every thing there is about the topic, here are some things that Come to my mind: history, ittf, China, Chinese TT culture, its effects on TT in the worls, Chinese rubbers, rubber manufacturers and rubber production, prices, Rules, Rule changes, Intentions, changes of various kinds, Voc, non-Voc, speed glue vs booster, normal glue, state of the game, Overall consensus and different views, actual effects of boosting, etc...

I dont think that he knows and or is aware of the whole situation to a larger extent that is worth our time and attention.

Not trying to attack or hurt anyones feelings, just trying to save our time.

 

[TackyForehand]

Yes it is. It comes in plastic bottles with a little brush attached to the inside of the lid and it is sold everywhere. 😁

I meant the final boosted rubber. Unless the process was made known, no one would know what booster, how many layers, over what time frame you used. It would be hard to replicate on the fly, for example an hour before a tournament, unlike readily sold rubbers that you can immediately slap on. Relying on such secrecy instead of your skills to win could be unfair and unsportsmanlike.

 

[Dr Evil]

The rule against boosting is unfair, unenforceable, and unobserved. Most pro players play factory boosted rubber or they do it themselves. They would be at a significant competitive disadvantage if they didn't, and so boosting is understood by pretty much everyone to be fair play. The same applies to good amateur players, especially those playing Hurricane but also to a lesser extent Euro or Japanese rubber. There are limits which are enforced (too much booster, sponge too thick, etc.) but the artificial and stupid distinction between factory boosted and self-boosted is correctly ignored.

 

[desertman]

“Risk their health” ???

Cheers
L-zr

PEDs.

 

[lodro]

I meant the final boosted rubber. Unless the process was made known, no one would know what booster, how many layers, over what time frame you used. It would be hard to replicate on the fly, for example an hour before a tournament, unlike readily sold rubbers that you can immediately slap on. Relying on such secrecy instead of your skills to win could be unfair and unsportsmanlike.

i see what you mean and understand.
However, unless one uses the sticky-sheets , there is no rubber at all that can be slapped on just before a competition.
Today's voc-free glues take several applications and they have to dry before the next layer can be applied. It is also often recommended that the last layers should be left to dry for several hours before the rubber is finally offered up to the blade, and then it should be in a press for a few more hours.

At the amateur level a player simply goes to the sport-shop or even the super market and buys a ready made racket .
The more involved with the sport one gets , the more involved most of use feel we have to get also involved with the materials that we use, so we start experimenting. 😁
Changing the qualities of a rubber to suit our personal style or feel is part of this.
No sport-organization (like ITTF for example) will ever manage to get ultimate control because we the players just "won't have it".

 

[desertman]

Why is it okay for a player to use a boosted rubber if the process was done by the factory, but not okay for a player to do so themselves?

I never said it was, so I have no answer for you. As I said, as a recent returnee it all seems rather unfortunate and distasteful

 

[sky500]

The rule against boosting is unfair, unenforceable, and unobserved. Most pro players play factory boosted rubber or they do it themselves. They would be at a significant competitive disadvantage if they didn't, and so boosting is understood by pretty much everyone to be fair play. The same applies to good amateur players, especially those playing Hurricane but also to a lesser extent Euro or Japanese rubber. There are limits which are enforced (too much booster, sponge too thick, etc.) but the artificial and stupid distinction between factory boosted and self-boosted is correctly ignored.

I don't know. At least in Europe it's still frowned im the lower league to play with boosted rubbers. I specially asked some club mates because I'm also new to this topic and unsure.

But yeah, another reason to just legalize boosting because it doesn't make sense why factory boosted being legal and personal boosting not.

Nevertheless, even if it's unfair and doesn't make sense, it's the official ruling. So for official play, we can't just disregard the rules? I mean for example toss high is stated as 15 cm or 6". I can't just toss lower, just because I don't like the rule?

Then the rule needs either to be changed or to be enforced the same. Otherwise it's becoming unfair?

 

[Dr Evil]

I don't know. At least in Europe it's still frowned im the lower league to play with boosted rubbers. I specially asked some club mates because I'm also new and unsure.

But yeah, another reason to just legalize boosting because it doesn't make sense why factory boosted being legal and personal boosting not.

I think it's same in lower level US leagues. Most players can't be bothered to boost, and it would be just as likely to hurt as help their games anyway. Asking the way you did is the right approach; if the league players don't want anyone to boost then they just need to say so. But the default assumption at higher levels is that it's fair play.

 

[Lazer]

PEDs.

I can’t see what that has to do with boosting?
Boosting the player ??? That’s something else entirely…

Cheers
L-zr

 

[gordonluvsu]

I can’t see what that has to do with boosting?
Boosting the player ??? That’s something else entirely…

Cheers
L-zr

Like I said, waste of time argueing with this guy.
Save your energy and watch some Ma Long matches, more helpful for everyone involved here.

 

[lodro]

Then the rule needs either to be changed or to be enforced the same. Otherwise it's becoming unfair?

100% Agree !! If one is not willing to police it then don't make a rule.

 

[blahness]

Lol it's not just boosting but also illegally treated pips + illegal serves that are never called!

 

[desertman]

I can’t see what that has to do with boosting?
Boosting the player ??? That’s something else entirely…

Cheers
L-zr

I'm sorry you are struggling to follow. In post #7 I said boosting just seems no better than PEDs [in this or any other sport].

Then in a curious twist of logic someone said as long as something is available to everyone, it's fair, to which I replied with the response that has confused you

 

[Lazer]

I'm sorry you are struggling to follow. In post #7 I said boosting just seems no better than PEDs [in this or any other sport].

Then in a curious twist of logic someone said as long as something is available to everyone, it's fair, to which I replied with the response that has confused you

You and Igor, now there’s is two of you 🤣🤣🤣

 

[blahness]

I think OP must have had a really privileged life if his base expectation is fairness. Dude nothing is fair in this world, and no one at the top ever plays fair... not in life, not in career, not in business and certainly not in sports.

Even beloved icons like Serena Williams are known to use drugs (just legally using therapeutic use exemptions just like many Olympic athletes are).

Pretty much all of the top body builders and powerlifters are on drugs too. Add to that most of the mainstream Hollywood actors who have to look muscular for their role.

In TT, because it's such a technical sport, at least you dont need to harm your body by taking drugs lol... only the equipment 😆

 

[lodro]

You and Igor, now there’s is two of you 🤣🤣🤣

Me, I am so innocent, I had to google PEDs 🤣
But i am coming straight now and confess that I am not only boosting my rubbers , I take Testosterone and HgH every day.
I would even take Ritalin on the TT-days but i can't get my hands on any.

 

[NextLevel]

Hi,

I'm currently playing in the amateur league in a European country and boosting is regarded as illegal due to the rules.

But as far as I understand many players in Asia and even the top professional players are playing with boosted rubbers. Some rubbers are even not playable if not boosted like H3.

Why is boosting not made legal again because the health aspect of speed glue is not an argument anymore. Also, many players are already boosting their rubbers. If you want to play by the rules, you have currently a disadvantage because you can't play Chinese Rubbers.

On the other hand if it is illegal and planed to be so. Why is it not more penalized?

The current state just feels awkward and gives an unfair advantage for players who play by the rules. In my mind, if it's illegal then enforce it for every player to the same degree or just legalized it, so every player are on equal footing again.

Not sure what your main argument is, if your racket is within the thickness limits and legal, it is, whether you boost or not is not testable and is up to your personal morality. If they make it legal or not is besides the point at this stage, they want to encourage the purchase of commercially boosted rubbers.

 

[NextLevel]

PEDs are frowned upon due to their deleterious health effects. Boosters are more like protein powder or vitamin supplements.

This is part of the truth but not the whole truth. Even if it was safe, it might not be universally accessible, and they want to fight an arms race against escalating use of inaccessible and potentially deleterious stuff. But they frown upon PEDs that are broadly safe or taken in low doses so it can't be just about health effects.