CTTA goes to bat for star players

China's governing body shows support for Fan and Chen amid WTT withdrawal

Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, and Chen Meng, three of China's most celebrated table tennis players, have been officially withdrawn from the latest world rankings published by the International Table Tennis Federation on Tuesday.

In response, Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), said he would press World Table Tennis to revise its rules, aiming to better the rights and interests of athletes.

WTT unveiled its 2025 handbook last month, introducing strict penalties for late withdrawals and schedule violations.