Investigations into match-fixing in pre-Olympic table tennis competitions, and against the Chinese deputy president of the ITTF
On the opening day of the Paris Olympics, China's sport is once again in the spotlight: Was there yet more cheating in pre-Olympic competitions? Were the Paris nominations decided in the interests of high-ranking officials? ITTF's Integrity Unit has been working on the issue for around two months.
PARIS. There is simply no end to it. China not only has a tradition of state-organised doping, but also a sinister tradition of match-fixing in the national sport of table tennis, as well as in other sports such as badminton. Following enquiries by THE INQUISITOR, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) confirms internal investigations.
ITTF's Integrity Unit has been working on the issue for around two months. The investigations include Liu Guoliang. Mr Liu is an Olympic champion, a successful Olympic coach, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), entrepreneur and, as appointed ITTF deputy president, the right-hand man of ITTF president and IOC member Petra Sörling. There are ordinary vice presidents at ITTF, and there is the appointed deputy president from China – that doesn't make things any easier.
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Similar accusations of Olympic match fixing hit Chinese table tennis after the London Olympics 2012. According to tabletennisdaily, China's head coach Liu Guoliang, now ITTF's deputy and CTTA president and again in the middle of a match-fixing controversy, later admitted in an interview with Chinese TV that he had ordered Wang Hao to lose the men's Olympic singles final to compatriot Zhang Jike. The coach believed that Wang Hao could better tolerate losing in singles and still be in top shape for China's subsequent team match.
