Wang Hao qualified first for China for the 2012 Olympics. Zhang Jike qualified second. According to the rules for the 2012 Olympics, the first two players to qualify from a country qualified for the singles event. The third person to qualify, qualifies for the team event only. Ma Long qualified ONLY FOR THE TEAM EVENT. Xu Xin was next and he qualified to be a replacement.
How did the replacement work? Why was there a replacement? If, before the singles event began, Wang Hao or Zhang Jike were injured, then the Chinese team could have put Ma Long in the singles in place of one of them and Xu Xin would fill the third spot in the team event. If Ma Long, Wang Hao or Zhang Jike were injured before the team event, the Xu Xin would fill that spot.
IF THE CHINESE HAD TRIED TO PULL WANG HAO OR ZHANG JIKE OUT OF THE SINGLES EVENT AND THERE WAS NO INJURY, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO REPLACE THAT PLAYER. THEN THEY WOULD HAVE HAD ONE PERSON IN THE SINGLES EVENT AND THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN INELIGIBLE FOR THE TEAM EVENT.
IF THEY HAD TRIED TO FAKE AN INJURY, THE MEDICAL DOCTOR FROM THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE WHO EXAMINED THE PLAYER WOULD PROBABLY HAVE CAUGHT THAT IT WAS THE CHINESE TEAM TRYING TO MANIPULATE THE SITUATION AND THEN THEY MAY HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED.
The only way Ma Long could have played in the 2012 Olympic Singles event is if Zhang Jike or Wang Hao had a real injury that prevented them from playing, that injury happened before the singles event began, and the Olympic Committee doctor who examined the player deemed him to be unable to play.
The Chinese National Team had no choice in the matter. You should have read the rules for qualification. They were very clear.
