[Teddy Cool]

Dear Adham,

thanks a lot for your participation in this forum. I think it is invaluable to have the opportunity to communicate directly with you.
However, even though I currently live in Switzerland, I am still sufficiently German to complain about a couple of things...
You mentioned the 4Ps in one of your earlier posts. As far as I understand both the increase of popularity and participation in table tennis activities such as championships are important goals of the ITTF and the general rule changes concerning long pimples etc. are reflections of the attempt to foster the 4Ps. However, I have a feeling of unease with respect to the way the 4Ps are pursued.
As an example, the German table tennis association made severe changes to the orgnaization of the German team championship (numbers of players in a team as well as championship scheme) which, at first glance, is a success, if you measure popularity in terms of time on TV. Alas, at the same time, there is a tremendous decrease in active table tennis players in Germany over the past ten years (I came across this topic this night). I do not intend to judge whether the increase in boradcasting time is more valuable than the decrease in pariticipation rates and I fully understand that Germany is just one example of the numerous table tennis associations organized in the ITTF. But still, I am curious about the view of the ITTF concerning the weight of the 4Ps.
As I hate political correctness, I have to ask you the following: Would you as ITTF president consider the 4Ps to be in balance if there remain 1000 table tennis players worldwide but whose matches are broadcasted 24 hours, 7 days a week and watched by 1billion people?

Best,
Thomas