Zitat:
Zitat von Tackiness
Here's a first question for you that surely many are interested in:
Will there soon be an improved ENEZ device that can detect boosters? Surely you cannot be happy about the current situation where many pros seem to "cheat", and no one can do anything about it - at least that's what happened at the recent European championship.
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Zitat:
Zitat von Mark Neef
Dear Mr. Sharara,
welcome here in "TT News" 
A few months ago the ITTF introduced the new friction-rule for pimples.
I respect this decision but I think it was wrong and brings more damage to our beloved sport than it is useful. We want to play table tennis and after the matches we want to drink a beer (or two)  and we don't want to discuss about things like friction of pimples or other difficult rules which can't be measured objectively and exactly in a gym. Such complicated and not comprehensible rules are poison for our sport!
Please take them back as soon as possible.
A few months ago you have written in a letter that you want to support the defensive style fundamentally. Up to now I couldn't note anything of that. On the contrary, recently you banned the racket coverings of "TT-Master"
because of production fluctuations. A lot of players use these as a substitute for slippery long pimples. Does your promised help look like this? 
Best regards,
Mark Neef |
The friction level established by the ITTF was presented to the ITTF at the apropriate meeting and was debated by all the delegates present and then a vote was taken and the proposal passed. In the view of the majority that passed this proposal they believe, as I do, that it was to "improve" the game and to disallow the post-treatment of rubbers which is a form of cheating. Unfortunately some manufacturers were producing ready made low friction or so-called frictionless rubber because there is a demand. When the new rule passed several of these rubbers did not meet the minimum friction criteria if the ITTF and therefore did not make the new authorization list. This is NOT against any specific manufacturer and it is not against defensive players. This is a question of setting standards and setting criteria that the majority of the members of the ITTF (national associations) believe it os in favour of the sport. It is your right to believe the opposite of course. Time will tell who is right. The delegates at the ITTf are not stupid, if after a year or two they realize that this rule should be changed back they will do it. But we must give enough time to see the effects. We had mush stronger opposition to the 40mm ball and the 11 points games, but today there is general agreement that these were good changes.
But, you are right that the friction rule has caused a lot of problems to tyhe players at the lower levels in clubs and leagues, while it had no effect on the top players. I am very soory about that. But I firmly believe that players should rely on their own skills and hone those skills to be better players and use equipment only as a question of comfort and as a matter of fitting their style of play, rather than using equipment (and altering) to gain advantage. This is my personal belief. I also believe that defensive players should be able to make a comeback now that we no longer have VOC glues and if we control the use of boosters better in the future. The door has opened for defensive players to come up with their skills, with some help from equipment, but not to rely entirely on equipment.
As for the detection of cheaters at the club level, all I can tell you is that cheaters will alwys be cheaters, but I dream of a day that all TT players can respect the rules based on the honour system.