Photo: WTT

 In response to the statement by World Table Tennis (WTT) about Chinese table tennis player Chen Meng's and his withdrawal from the world rankings, Fan Zhendong admitted on his personal Weibo account on Sunday that he had never been officially informed about the fines for withdrawing from WTT tournaments until last week.

"I have just carefully read the WTT's statement, and in the spirit of rigor and respect for international organizations, I would like to add a few brief points. I personally didn't receive the official notice until last week, which stated that starting from next year, the WTT will strictly enforce the newly issued penalty regulations. I appreciate everyone's concern. I have a deep love for the sport of table tennis, and I sincerely wish the international organization continued success and growth," said Fan.

Addressing the announcement of Chinese Olympic champion players Fan and Chen to withdraw from the world rankings, WTT said on Saturday night that they deeply respect the contributions of Fan and Chen and welcome them to return to WTT events should they wish to in the future.

Fan announced his withdrawal on his social media on Friday that he was unable to comply with WTT's new regulation, which imposes fines on players for not participating in events. He said that this decision does not signal his retirement from the sport.

Chen noted that WTT's new rule imposing fines for withdrawing from competitions presented her with a difficult decision, given her ongoing physical challenges that prevent her from participating in every high-intensity tournament.

The rules referenced by Fan and Chen are not newly introduced but have been in place since WTT's inception four years ago. The intent of these rules is to ensure that top-tier players are represented at key WTT events, preserving the integrity of global competition and delivering the highest quality events for players, fans and all partners, WTT said in the statement.

The penalties for non-participation are designed to support the structure of the WTT calendar, ensuring that fans, organizers, event partners and broadcast partners can rely on the participation of the world's top players, according to WTT.

WTT said they remain fully committed to supporting players and fostering a competitive and inclusive environment. "We recognize the immense contributions of Fan and Chen to the sport and wish them best of luck and will continue to welcome them, as well as all players, to return to WTT events should they wish to in the future."

Both Fan and Chen delivered excellent performances at the Paris Olympics, winning gold medals in both singles and team events, but neither has participated in any international competitions since their Olympic victory.