Hello from ITTF President

[adham]

Zitat von mmm

Please, don't speak about democracy and ITTF in the same context. Any real democracy has controlling elements. Government is controlled by parliament (opposition). Legislation is controlled by the jurisdiction. Any minority has the right to call the courts if it feels discriminated.

Minorities in table tennis don't have this option. So the organized table tennis is only some kind of democracy. It's more like the democracy in the former German Democratic Republic where un-wanted behaviour were treated similarly.

I respect your opinion and I appreciate your ironic mode. But what do you call when a group of national associations decide to form a world body because they have common international needs. So they form a federation of national associations, create a constitution, set-up a structure, have elections to elect their representatives, and follow the rules of their constitution? This is how all international federations are constituted and function. You cannot compare an International Federation (IF) to a government. An international federation is just that, and it does have its own democratic process. Any rule, change to the constitution, regulation, etc., is decided by a vote.

In Football the off-side rule was once introduced for a purpose, pass back to the goal-keeper banned, the ball was changed, etc. All sports make changes to improve their game. We may not agree with the change made, and we may have different ideas on what changes should be made, but what is important is to trust those that we have elected to do the best they can. If they don't, we elect others at the next election.

By the way, what change was made when John Hilton won the European Championships in 1980?

Adham

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[adham]

Zitat von barracuda

@president: don´t be annoyed with all the guys who played with non-friction pimples.

often they are unobjective and can not accept the ban of the non-friction-pimples and have to discuss again and again. they can not accept the arguments and often become very aggressive to all people who have an other opinion than them.

therefore it makes no sence to answer several times the same questions because they will not (and don´t want it) understand.

president, I am very happy that you joined the forum, before this I thought you are too far away from the base of table tennis players and you don´t see what we think and want, but now I recognized: quite the contrary! you are very interested and you spend a lot of time talking with all table tennis players in the world. this is exemplary for all other officials and functionaries on the world!

I hope you will take part here in the future, too and will be here for a long time.

sorry for my english, I come from japan, so my english is a little bit bumpy and online translation systems are not the best help.

Domo arigato gozaimus; konichiwa barracuda-san. Watashi wa ITTF'no Sharara des. I am not annoyed by the complaints. I understand the frustration and the anger and I am trying my best to explain that this is not the end of the world and that all players must continue to play and enjoy our sport.

I thank you very much for your kind words. I like very much to talk to players and coaches. When I am at an event I always spend a lot of time to talk and listen to players and coaches to know their ideas. I will probably be visiting Yokohama in Januray in preparation for the WTTC. By the way, please ask all your friends and also yourself, to contact TV tokyo and give them feedback about their TT broadcasting.

Adham

[mmm]

Zitat von adham

An international federation is just that, and it does have its own democratic process. Any rule, change to the constitution, regulation, etc., is decided by a vote.

In Football the off-side rule was once introduced for a purpose, pass back to the goal-keeper banned, the ball was changed, etc. All sports make changes to improve their game. We may not agree with the change made, and we may have different ideas on what changes should be made, but what is important is to trust those that we have elected to do the best they can. If they don't, we elect others at the next election.

By the way, what change was made when John Hilton won the European Championships in 1980?

Adham

You're right, the ITTF has some democratic elements, but it is no democracy where minorities have the right to offend decisions of the majority against them. And is it democratic, when China's 1.300.000.000 people have only one vote and Liechtenstein's 30.000 have also one vote in the ITTF?

How many votes were given for the new minimum friction rule, how many against it or is it a secret? I just want to know how many and which representatives have to be re-elected if I want to influence the decision.

It's interesting that you mention the ball change in football. It lead to more unpredictable curves, so that the goalies made more mistakes since then. Maybe we should think about this in table tennis, too (irony).

And the change (I think you know for sure) was the two-color-rule. Since 1985 there had to be two different colors on the forehand and backhand sides of a racket. This was a direct (ok, 5 years, the ITTF was slower then) consequence of Hilton's success (by the way, till 1971 both sides had to be the SAME color).

But I don't want to disturb the discussion any longer with my "unobjective" and "aggressive" opinion if the president doesn't want to talk about it any more (is this democratic, barracuda?).

In fact, I'm very happy about your open ears regarding our problems at the base. That's really an example how other leaders of organizations should be.

I just hope the best for our sports.

With best regards

Martin

[mago]

Zitat von TSC

clickWe're flogging a dead horse with the frictionless pimple thing. It has been discussed endlessly and Mr. Sharara has already noticed the disagreements and dissatisfactions from some members/players. Now give it a rest, please.

I don't believ...the moderator cancel what is no good for Mr. Sharara....congratulations moderator...It isn't good if "mago" writes...(maybe the true............).......i understand...for this forum is very good if the president of ittf write....the president comes for speak, dear moderator......why are YOU so afraid...and cancel post, mr. Sharara don't ask you something, isn't ? Ah....If you see, something "disturb" ...better cAncel the post....super.

## post copied and some parts edited##, TSC

[TSC]

Zitat von mago

I don't believ...the moderator cancel what is no good for Mr. Sharara....congratulations moderator...It isn't good if "mago" writes...(maybe the true............).......i understand...for this forum is very good if the president of ittf write....the president comes for speak, dear moderator......why are YOU so afraid...and cancel post, mr. Sharara don't ask you something, isn't ? Ah....If you see, something "disturb" ...better cAncel the post....super.

I have canceled nothing. If you'll take a closer look then you'll notice that I've simply moved your post(s) and created a new thread solely for this glue/pimples thing here. Please keep posting there about it.

[adham]

Zitat von mmm

You're right, the ITTF has some democratic elements, but it is no democracy where minorities have the right to offend decisions of the majority against them. And is it democratic, when China's 1.300.000.000 people have only one vote and Liechtenstein's 30.000 have also one vote in the ITTF?

Hey Martin, the ITTF is NOT a Federation of Players. The ITTF is a Federation of National Associations. So each national association has one vote. If the ITTF was an association of players, then each player would have one vote. We are more like the United Nations, and grouping of nations. So each nation has one vote. But at the United Nations 5 of the Nations have veto power. We don't have that. In any case, maybe the ITTF is democratic or maybe it is not. But the popint is that all decisions are made according to a process and according to a system that the membership itself established for itself. And this is what we follow. Maybe not a perfect democracy, but we do the best we can.

How many votes were given for the new minimum friction rule, how many against it or is it a secret? I just want to know how many and which representatives have to be re-elected if I want to influence the decision.

Regarding the vote of the friction rule, I checked for you, the result at the AGM was 92% in favour and 8% gainst the change.

It's interesting that you mention the ball change in football. It lead to more unpredictable curves, so that the goalies made more mistakes since then. Maybe we should think about this in table tennis, too (irony).

Football: I heard it was to make it more bouncy and lighter for more goals, of course the TV and spectators like more goals. I was just trying to make a point that all sports have changes to improve the game. But maybe the goalies are not happy now? But they represent only 1/11 of the team, so a minority - "my turn to be ironic" (but you are the Irony champion, i concede to you).

And the change (I think you know for sure) was the two-color-rule. Since 1985 there had to be two different colors on the forehand and backhand sides of a racket. This was a direct (ok, 5 years, the ITTF was slower then) consequence of Hilton's success (by the way, till 1971 both sides had to be the SAME color).

I thought that the change to the 2 different colours was because of the Chinese (Cai Zenhua, Chen Zinhua, etc., etc.) and not John Hilton? But in any case, at that time I was not in the ITTF yet.

But I don't want to disturb the discussion any longer with my "unobjective" and "aggressive" opinion if the president doesn't want to talk about it any more (is this democratic, barracuda?).

In fact, I'm very happy about your open ears regarding our problems at the base. That's really an example how other leaders of organizations should be.

You really to not disturb me, I am happy to answer your questions. And I thank you very much for your very kind words about me. I appreciate them very much. next time start your post with the kind words and then attack me, that is a better tactic (ironic again, I am learning from you).

Adham

## full quote amended (again ), TSC ##

[mago]

Zitat von adham

I like very much to talk to players and coaches. Adham

This is good Adham, i am coach of 1. Bundesliga...i think you know me and we have...common friends...i am 3 weeks in Rom...if you are in Italy speak with Peterlini (ehemalige Direktor of TT News Italy) and we can go together in a good Reastaurant, with "a... Barolo and speak about Technik and where is...going Table tennis...

[adham]

Zitat von mago

This is good Adham, i am coach of 1. Bundesliga...i think you know me and we have...common friends...i am 3 weeks in Rom...if you are in Italy speak with Peterlini (ehemalige Direktor of TT News Italy) and we can go together in a good Reastaurant, with "a... Barolo and speak about Technik and where is...going Table tennis...

Peterlini e un buon amico mio. Ma non lo visto da molto tempo. Mi manda e-mails e io rispondo sempre.
Please send me a private e-mail at ittf@ittf.com, tell me your name and which club, then we can arrange for sure a good meal together with Alessandro. "Una spaghettata a la romana et al funghi".

Adham

Adham

[Whip McCord]

´

Zitat von mago

...in Rome...in a good Reastaurant, with "a... Barolo and speak about Technik and where is...going Table tennis...

And where it came from.

....the two-color-rule 1985...was a direct (ok, 5 years, the ITTF was slower then) consequence of Hilton's success...

As Mr. Sharara declared: Cai Zhenhua was the 'Bad Boy'.

His international success in Tokyo '83 and Novi Sad '81 was one of the main reasons for the new colour rule.

Hiltons title in 1980 was unquestionably achieved because of his then rather strange material ( in his own words: "a very exotic Anti Loop Rubber , received some weeks before the tournament from a friend from Austria").

But Hilton hits in Bern also a very lucky hour because most of his direct opponents in the single competition were notorious for their limited skills in playing against such 'material'. Especially Josef Dvoracek in the final. (A 'bear type', heavy player with an excellent backhand and dreaded opponent of Waldner in the Eighties).

After Bern 1980 Hilton played no important role in further European- or Worldchampionships. And was - unlike Zhenhua & Co. - not recognized as an international thread for the beauty of our sport.


Only mentioned on the edge & greetings




PS:

An invitation for a Barolo-Dinner in Roma ? Good idea.
But do it with style and pick out the ristorante with care:

Our President deserves a ripe Monfortino (1971 or '78) from Giacomo Conterno - or at least an excellent vintage Collina Rionda Riserva from good old Bruno Giacosa.

--> http://networks.ecse.rpi.edu/~vastol...Rionda89R.html


Salute!, amici


´

[adham]

Our President deserves a ripe Monfortino (1971 or '78) from Giacomo Conterno - or at least an excellent vintage Collina Rionda Riserva from good old Bruno Giacosa.

Salute!, amici

Hey, that's great. That's what we will have for sure. Any more wine advice will be greatly appreciated, you can e-mail me directly if you wish. Thanks for the tip.

Adham

## Quote fixed, you almost had it right , TSC ##