ITTF Announce Punishments for Ma Long, Fan Zhendong & Xu Xin Boycott!

[TableTennisDaily]

After the unprecedented boycott of the China Open by Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, where they protested the removal of Liu Guoliang as Chinese national team head coach by not turning up to their matches, the ITTF have revealed their sanctions.

Although the ITTF disciplinary panel decided that a 1-month ban would have been justified they decided in the end to opt for a $20,000 fine for each of the players instead, after separate personal and public statements and apologies from Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin.

The trio decided not to appeal, and all accepted their punishments and may return to international competition with immediate effect.
More to follow…

If you need to know exackly what went down during the China Open watch our video below:

 

[Xylit]

During the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Platinum China Open held in Chengdu, China in June 2017, the top three table tennis players in the world: MA Long, FAN Zhendong and XU Xin, did not turn up for their round of 16 matches, subsequently forfeiting their matches.

The trio did not provide the ITTF or the organizing committee any immediate reason why they did not turn up for their matches. This behaviour meant the ITTF was required to set up a disciplinary panel appointed by the ITTF Executive Committee to investigate the incident and determine appropriate sanction.
The disciplinary panel reviewed all the evidence at hand, including asking for three players for an official statement which was received, as well as taking into account the public statements made by the three players, and the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) regarding the issue.
After reviewing all the evidence, the Disciplinary Panel determined that the actions of the three players breached section 3.5.3 of the ITTF Rule book relating to Good Presentation, more specifically clause 3.5.3.1.1, which states: ‘Players have to do their upmost to win a match and shall not withdraw except for reasons of illness or injury’.

Full story on ITTF website here: https://www.ittf.com/2017/10/31/ittf-decides-sanctions-chinese-trio-china-open-forfeits/

 

[yoass]

Yes, I received that disgraceful message also. Shame on you, ITTF, for the backhanding, the weaselwords, the selective bureacratic rigidity, and most of all for the lack of empathy, resulting in stern words of dubious intent expressing utterly displaced loyalty. Shame on you for even mentioning the univocal, simultaneously posted self critiques of the players and stupidly abusing these as if they were authentic expression.

I too have been hoping for inimpeded returns on the stage for not just these three players, but also for the coaches involved. Yet I think that enough time has past, and what we have seen is long stretches of absence, destructive injuries strangely exacerbated in public, inexplicable lapses.

I was worried when it happened, and am not any less so now. And I call out: shame!

 

[Xylit]

Well, the three players ruined the ITTF's event and obviously played against the rules. Therefore they have to be punished. I think it is good news that there is only a monetary penalty. $20k seems a lot though. Of course the players have enough money but $60k income for the ITTF? Not bad

 

[yoass]

[…] and obviously played against the rules. Therefore they have to be punished.

That's exactly what I mean by selective bureaucratic rigidity. Rules abound, and many of them get broken more or less on a permanent basis; note, the underlying facts referred to by the rules are often muddy judgement cases. When to apply a rule strictly, when to enforce, there is ample room for policy there. I don't for one second go with any argument based in the notion that rules are to be followed blindly and without question.

But of course, zis has notheenk to do with beink german. Zis is simplee a matter of following ze ROOLS! (That's an old joke, which I'm rehashing here. It applies.)

That being said, $20k is a minor slap on the wrist. It's an excuse for a punishment rather than a real one — or giving the impression that it is. However, it also adds to the loss of face, lifting even more from a strictly internal Chinese issue (bad enough already) to an issue involving a shameful dependence upon the judgement of third parties.

I see no good news here. The initial response from the ITTF was ridiculous enough, but it might have been let wither on the vine.

 

[Suga D]

I would have to agree with yoass. I think it's not the right signal the ITTF sends with this decision IMHO.
A bit saddening.

 

[ttpenholder]

Honestly I thought the ITTF would hand out a much bigger punishment than that judging by that huge statement they made at the time about losing integrity and all that crap. Maybe ITTF made a deal with the Chinese fed to allow a European player to win a major title (world cup) for a lighter punishment. Only joking

 

[suds79]

Although the ITTF disciplinary panel decided that a 1-month ban would have been justified they decided in the end to opt for a $20,000 fine for each of the players instead, after separate personal and public statements and apologies from Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin.

So... basically they fined them the equivalent of what would be fining one of us 20 bucks.

#chumpchange

 

[WorkerBee]

Hopefully the action of the Big Three will make these bureuacratic fools think twice before making choices about coaches that were obviously upsetting to amazing and historic players who feel deep loyalty and gratitude for their truly hard-working and competent coaches. If the coaches made bad or illegal actions, there should have been public reprimands to stop such actions. Secret punishments for secret crimes are a bad method in general, and we can see bad results right now. Did you see the new coach for Lin Gaoyuan publicly yelling in his face after losing to Timo?? Talk about violating the rule for Good Presentation!!

 

[Zaid323918]

ITTF u suck

 

[Persistence TT]

Ιm glad I "predicted" (since you never know for sure what the officials will decide, they have taken some really stupid decisions so far about TT) nothing bad will happen, the sport is nothing without the top athletes. 20k each is peanuts

 

[TTHopeful]

Pocket money for ITTF

 

[tropical]

Real punishment was from the Chinese TT association and government which we never know exactly how. This ITTF punishment is just a slap on the hand.

 

[drunix80]

It would have been more apt if ITTF fined CNT rather than naming or fining these players.

 

[TTHopeful]

The thing is the cnt boycott because of their own inhouse situation. Are ITTF allowed to fine players like this legally?

 

[ttpshot]

Well at least we now know who is really running the business here. Disappointed that the governing organization can be so heavily influenced by one country.

 

[Persistence TT]

The thing is the cnt boycott because of their own inhouse situation. Are ITTF allowed to fine players like this legally?

of course it is legal, it is up to the players decision to participate or not. and since they didnt notify in advance then the rules are clear, so all ITTF did was to simply to "obey" the rules they made.

 

[EmRatThich]

Thank you ITTF!
My answer: https://pingsunday.com/ridiculous-sanctions-ittf-forfeits/

 

[Garrison]

Thank you ITTF!
My answer: https://pingsunday.com/ridiculous-sanctions-ittf-forfeits/

View attachment 14540

Ruining a big event for tt fans that have nothing to do with this doesn't matter then? How is their action "brave" if there wasn't any punishment for it? Don't get me wrong, I think it is good that the chinese players show their government that they aren't puppets, but ittf has to issue some kind of penalty.

 

[Suga D]

Well at least we now know who is really running the business here. Disappointed that the governing organization can be so heavily influenced by one country.

Could you please elaborate on this? Not sure what you mean.