Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

The recent withdrawal of Chinese table tennis stars Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng from the World Table Tennis (WTT) world rankings has sparked a significant debate within the global table tennis community, raising questions about balancing the commercialization of sports and the well-being of athletes.

Addressing the announcement that Chinese Olympic champions Fan and Chen had withdrawn from the world rankings due to fines for skipping tournaments, WTT said on Saturday night that they deeply respect the contributions of both players to the sport and leave the door open for their return to the world rankings in the future.

From the athletes' perspective, they dedicated themselves to intense training and frequent competitions over long periods, accumulating various injuries along the way. In light of this, adhering to WTT's mandatory participation rule was simply too much for them to bear. 

The issue deserves a more comprehensive and dialectical view, Luo Le, a sports scholar at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

It is not only about taking responsibility for their own health, but also sending a message about the dilemma athletes face in their professional careers - the tough choice between pursuing competitive success and protecting their physical well-being, Luo said. 

The decision of Fan and Chen to step back deserves both understanding and respect. 

In their social media posts, both players cited physical limitations and the inability to participate in consecutive high-intensity tournaments as key reasons for their withdrawal. They said they were unable to comply with WTT's regulations, which imposes fines on players for not participating in events. 

WTT's mandatory participation rule is based on its considerations for the smooth running of events. On the one hand, the organization aims to leverage the influence of top athletes to rapidly increase the visibility of its events, attract more commercial resources such as sponsorships and high-value media rights sales, and ensure its place in the competitive international sports market. 

On the other hand, through a high-density schedule, WTT seeks to generate continuous media attention and maintain global focus on table tennis, Luo noted.

The rules referenced by Fan and Chen are not new 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 Saturday 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.

This incident has raised important issues about the relationship between the commercialization of sports and the well-being of athletes. WTT has undoubtedly been striving to professionalize and commercialize the sport of table tennis, bringing it to a global audience and increasing its visibility. 

Yet, Luo said that an overemphasis on the participation of elite athletes poses two problems. 

First, their physical capacity and personal schedules may not align with the demands of frequent competition. 

Second, the growth opportunities for younger players are severely limited, hindering the development of future table tennis talent worldwide. This could ultimately be detrimental to the global expansion of the sport. 

In terms of business operations, relying solely on forced participation to drive traffic is open to debate while WTT could consider exploring more innovative approaches, he said. 

French table tennis player Simon Gauzy said via his X account that WTT's statement is not acceptable.

"We are losing icons of our sport because of those 'rules.' You can't ignore the fact that this is not helping the players. It's time for a real change," Gauzy said. 

His compatriot players Alexis Lebrun and Felix Lebrun showed their support for the post on X. 

In this context, WTT's new regulations highlight the challenge of striking a balance between the commercial needs of a growing sports league and the personal welfare of its athletes. 

This is an issue that many sports organizations grapple with. 

As the organization continues to mature and refine its structure, it will need to carefully consider the long-term implications of its rules on athletes' careers and overall player well-being.

Likewise, in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the governing body of men's professional tennis, there are similar rules that require top-ranked players to participate in certain high-level tournaments. 

However, the ATP also provides exemptions. In addition to the common injury-related withdrawals, players who meet certain criteria - such as age, career years, and number of career matches - are eligible for exemptions.

Moving forward, it would be beneficial for WTT to engage in an open dialogue with players and other stakeholders to fine-tune its regulations. 

The organization's willingness to learn from its experiences and adapt will be crucial in ensuring the sustained growth of table tennis.

As the world's leading table tennis body, WTT holds the responsibility to not only foster the commercial development of the sport but also protect the athletes who are its foundation. 

In balancing these two demands, WTT can continue to build a more sustainable and athlete-friendly environment, which will benefit the sport and its global fanbase.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn