Olympic champions Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng rocked the table tennis world this week by withdrawing from international rankings, igniting fiery discussions about athlete autonomy and tournament regulations. Their exit comes amid claims that World Table Tennis (WTT) penalties for skipping events create unfair pressure on players.
WTT responded Saturday with a mix of praise and policy defense, calling Fan and Chen \"inspirational icons\" while clarifying that its rules—including fines for non-participation—aren’t new. The organization emphasized that automatic qualification processes have been in place since the 2025 handbook updates, adding it remains open to welcoming all players back.
Fan, currently ranked world No. 2, cited \"inability to comply\" with participation rules in his Friday announcement. Chen, battling physical strain at 30, called the fine system a \"tough choice\" for athletes managing health and careers.
While WTT’s statement avoids direct criticism, fans globally are split: Is this a stand against inflexible policies, or a sign of evolving priorities in elite sports? One thing’s clear—the paddle’s in WTT’s court to balance star power and sustainability.
