Sudden withdrawal issue to be investigated at ITTF China Open

Ma Long during the match at the ITTF China Open on June 22, 2017. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

The sudden withdrawal of three Chinese players from the ongoing ITTF China Open is a violation of professional ethics, and will be dealt seriously after investigation, said the spokesman of the General Administration of Sports of China on Friday evening.

Such behavior "was a breach of professional ethics and showed no respect to their rivals and the audience," said the spokesman, adding "we have urged the Chinese Table Tennis Association to investigate into the case and deal with it seriously."

When the second round of the men's singles matches were supposed to start from 19:40 on Friday, the three Chinese paddlers of Ma Long, Xu Xin, Fan Zhendong as well as their coaches Qin Zhijian, Ma Lin didn't show up at the competition venue in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Then, the International Table Tennis Federation announced the withdrawal of the three players from the tournament.

Early at 19:00, the three players and the two coaches said on their social network accounts almost at the same time that they didn't want to play at that moment, because they miss Liu Guoliang, the former head coach of the Chinese table tennis team. 

Three days ago, Liu was appointed as vice president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, and removed from his coaching place.