What happened between the USA and KAZ controversial match at the WTTTC Finals 2023?

[Tony's Table Tennis]

This is what I read

1) Liang did hand his racket in pre match. But was late (late handing in won't be tested). Hence USATT requesting time log

2) once handed in, the racket is no longer with the player and the player only gets it back at the match table

3) racket is back into the envelope after the match to go through a force post match test (normally in earlier rounds, post match test is not forced, but if there was no pre match test, then post match test is required)

measuring the next day is not 100% accurate though. 1 day could cause expansion to settle (which I am going to talk about it on my boosting video).

anything else on the case at present, would be assumptions - so I won't voice them in case it ends up being wrong.

USATT has 2 x press release
ITTF has 0
I suspect, we will never hear from ITTF publicly on this matter

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

In the match you can clearly see that he is using a Long 5 blade and a blue sponge rubber on his forehand, which is very similar to the Hurricane 3.

and he is Bowman sponsored, since I saw quite a lot of articles on Q&A with the pro/coaches and he was the guest Pro.

Bowman is Butterfly NA

and obviously, Liang won't be the only sponsored player to use something other brands.
my answer with butterfly sponsored was to say, since he is butterfly sponsored, he would then need to "unoffcial" source his own DHS equipment, which honestly speaking, is very easy.

 

[Choosikick]

and he is Bowman sponsored, since I saw quite a lot of articles on Q&A with the pro/coaches and he was the guest Pro.

Bowman is Butterfly NA

and obviously, Liang won't be the only sponsored player to use something other brands.
my answer with butterfly sponsored was to say, since he is butterfly sponsored, he would then need to "unoffcial" source his own DHS equipment, which honestly speaking, is very easy.

Apparently, this is exactly what happened. He independently purchased DHS equipment and used a booster, since it is impossible to play at such levels with DHS rubber without a booster. He paid for it and let his team and country down.
I think that everyone will draw the right conclusions from this situation so that this does not happen again.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Apparently, this is exactly what happened. He independently purchased DHS equipment and used a booster, since it is impossible to play at such levels with DHS rubber without a booster. He paid for it and let his team and country down.
I think that everyone will draw the right conclusions from this situation so that this does not happen again.

If that is the case, Liang isn't the only player buying (independently purchased) DHS rubbers and using booster.

he is just the one that got caught with thickness test and not VOC test, and caught during a very crucial time.
As I mentioned somewhere else
Alexis Lebrun and Bruna both also failed thickness test in recent months.

And just so you know, a European pro player contacted me to purchase my "2 months old (from manufacturer date)" DHS H3 neo national. He was willing to buy a premium, because the ones he can get is around 4 to 6 months old.
So, if it wasn't for no postal option in South Africa, few years ago, I almost became a "private DHS supplier" to some European pros

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Just for the record, here is the latest infraction list and you can see everyone on here failed thickness test.

2 x, will be highlighted in yellow, because 3rd time, you are banned from playing (for a year if I recall).

Liang's 2022 incident doesn't appear on here, but I do have reliable sources that he did have to borrow another players racket.
So, maybe his test was volunteer and not pre-match (office test)
This part is my speculation, but below are famous people that have failed test and not all of them are DHS related

PS, the last time I saw this list, it was 3 times bigger, and the first time I saw this list was 2 pages long.... they had something like 3 or 4 VOC failures and the rest was thickness.
So thickness happens quite often, you just don't get to hear of it

 

[Choosikick]

If that is the case, Liang isn't the only player buying (independently purchased) DHS rubbers and using booster.

he is just the one that got caught with thickness test and not VOC test, and caught during a very crucial time.
As I mentioned somewhere else
Alexis Lebrun and Bruna both also failed thickness test in recent months.

And just so you know, a European pro player contacted me to purchase my "2 months old (from manufacturer date)" DHS H3 neo national. He was willing to buy a premium, because the ones he can get is around 4 to 6 months old.
So, if it wasn't for no postal option in South Africa, few years ago, I almost became a "private DHS supplier" to some European pros

Also in this story there is a very important issue with the lack of a protocol with the time of submitting the racket for inspection before the match and the player’s signature stating that he handed over the racket. Tony, please tell, is this protocol mandatory? If this protocol does not exist, then this is the basis for manipulation.

 

[Choosikick]

In any case, even if the player has problems with the inventory, then such a situation that occurred should not have happened. In no case should a player be allowed to play with equipment that does not meet the requirements of the ITTF. Why in 2022, the same player was given the opportunity to play with a friend’s racket, which met the requirements of the ITTF, and now the result is disqualified after the game?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Also in this story there is a very important issue with the lack of a protocol with the time of submitting the racket for inspection before the match and the player’s signature stating that he handed over the racket. Tony, please tell, is this protocol mandatory? If this protocol does not exist, then this is the basis for manipulation.

In any case, even if the player has problems with the inventory, then such a situation that occurred should not have happened. In no case should a player be allowed to play with equipment that does not meet the requirements of the ITTF. Why in 2022, the same player was given the opportunity to play with a friend’s racket, which met the requirements of the ITTF, and now the result is disqualified after the game?

if you submit late for pre test, there won't be a test (explained already many times that it becomes post match test)
pre match test is to allow player to change racket if the initial racket test fails (thats why you have Gil Minsoek failing twice on the same day). Note, 3 active infractions is direct ban for a year

all your other answers are in post #44

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Found an earlier list

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

 

[beeray1]

I've been saying this for 15 years. If you can't consistently and reliably utilize the controls enforcing the rule to ban boosters, remove the rule and just allow them. It's embarrassing. 80% or more of the rackets at the event are boosted. Rubbers come from the factory boosted. Rubbers given to players by sponsors are boosted. All the players accept boosting as a truth. It's been this way since right after the glue ban and it will continue to be this way in perpetuity.

 

[BetterTT]

Question #1: From a player's side, is racket testing before the match voluntary or mandatory?

Question #2: from a player's side, is racket testing after the match voluntary or mandatory?

IF testing before is voluntary and after is mandatory, wouldn't it be safer for the player to have their racket tested before the match and that way, if there is a problem, they can test a backup racket? If that is the case, then this whole problem could have been prevented and the player and the coaching staff are at fault since it should be standard practice to have your racket submitted in time for a pre-match test.

It's kinda similar (not identical) to a player having a problem with one of their shoes (maybe it broke during a match) and NOT bringing a backup pair of shoes. It seems to be irresponsible and the team coach or manager should have guidelines in place that the players must follow in order to prevent problems.

Or did the ITTF/WTT do something wrong?

 

[dingyibvs]

Question #1: From a player's side, is racket testing before the match voluntary or mandatory?

Question #2: from a player's side, is racket testing after the match voluntary or mandatory?

IF testing before is voluntary and after is mandatory, wouldn't it be safer for the player to have their racket tested before the match and that way, if there is a problem, they can test a backup racket? If that is the case, then this whole problem could have been prevented and the player and the coaching staff are at fault since it should be standard practice to have your racket submitted in time for a pre-match test.

It's kinda similar (not identical) to a player having a problem with one of their shoes (maybe it broke during a match) and NOT bringing a backup pair of shoes. It seems to be irresponsible and the team coach or manager should have guidelines in place that the players must follow in order to prevent problems.

Or did the ITTF/WTT do something wrong?

The racket has to be tested once, so if it doesn't happen before the match then it has to happen after the match.

If it is to happen before the match then the racket needs to be handed in about 1 hour before, so to give the officials time to test it. If you do that, then for the hour before your match you can't practice with your match racket. Thus, some players choose not to do pre-match testing and instead test the racket themselves with their own testing equipment.

It sounds like Liang wanted to get pre-match testing, but didn't turn in his racket in time. This sounds like just a massive mistake by Liang, and the fact that it hasn't happened in 20+ years in a major tournament should inform you how big of a mistake it is.

 

[mcfly]

we all know that pros boost their equipments - please if you think they are being “honest and fairplay”, you’re too innocent.

it is embarrassing that he got caught. even more embarrassing that led to US being eliminated.

 

[JJ Ng]

Found an earlier list

View attachment 28492

Hi Tony, so looking at this, would you say players also boost ESN and Butterfly rubbers? DHS is not the only type of rubber to be boosted?

Looking at the list makes it even more imperative for players and their coaches to have the equipment to measure their own thickness before each match.

And looking at the list, it is clear that every pro boosts (most are just better at not landing on the list due to thickness issues) and every pro, rightfully so, wants every single edge possible to come up on top!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Hi Tony, so looking at this, would you say players also boost ESN and Butterfly rubbers? DHS is not the only type of rubber to be boosted?

I personally know ESN / Butterfly users boosting
so yes, DHS is not the only type of rubber that is boosted.
It is industrial wide knowledge

Looking at the list makes it even more imperative for players and their coaches to have the equipment to measure their own thickness before each match.

Yep and that is what I have been saying

And looking at the list, it is clear that every pro boosts (most are just better at not landing on the list due to thickness issues) and every pro, rightfully so, wants every single edge possible to come up on top!

most people don't even know of the infraction list.
I also didn't, until I got a phone call from the national team to help translate an email, ittf handbook on infraction.
Only then, did I understand infraction a lot better

back then it was 3 times then banning
I see it is updated to 4 times then banning now.

 

[JJ Ng]

I personally know ESN / Butterfly users boosting
so yes, DHS is not the only type of rubber that is boosted.
It is industrial wide knowledge

Yep and that is what I have been saying

most people don't even know of the infraction list.
I also didn't, until I got a phone call from the national team to help translate an email, ittf handbook on infraction.
Only then, did I understand infraction a lot better

back then it was 3 times then banning
I see it is updated to 4 times then banning now.

Thank you for your reply. Now I feel better about boosting my ESN rubber and Butterfly rubber too! Lol. I often buy a set of rubbers and literally won't take them out to be put on like a year later. I always feel a layer of booster makes me feel better to make the rubber be more lively. Well, I guess, I am not the only one!

 

[TensorBackhand]

Thank you for your reply. Now I feel better about boosting my ESN rubber and Butterfly rubber too! Lol. I often buy a set of rubbers and literally won't take them out to be put on like a year later. I always feel a layer of booster makes me feel better to make the rubber be more lively. Well, I guess, I am not the only one!

I usually find very little reaction from esn rubbers to booster.

What rubbers do you use booster on and how much improvement do you see?

 

[TensorBackhand]

Does anybody know how much booster adds onto a sponge thickness? So if a sponge is 2.1mm and you boost it with 2 layers of seamoon, would the sponge expand to 2.2mm?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Does anybody know how much booster adds onto a sponge thickness? So if a sponge is 2.1mm and you boost it with 2 layers of seamoon, would the sponge expand to 2.2mm?

i'm not sure if you know, your question is just so open ended

how much of 1 layer did you put?
your 1 layer could be more than my 3 layer.....

since you test so many equipment out and boost and what not, why don't you do the measurements and let people know
i'm sure a lot of people will be interested in your findings.

also note, since rubbers will "Shrink" back into its smaller shape, the longer you put it, the thinner it will become