Hello from ITTF President

[Mighty]

Zitat von adham

...But as you know, in TT each side has a different colour so that the opponent can recognize the effects of each side.

Adham

Of course, I know about different colours, it is surely better, then the same colour. But the problem still remains.

When blocking, for example, a player can produce a fairly different stroke not through his skills, but just through twisting his racket at the last moment. In this example, the blocking player has an advantage because of two different rubbers. And his opponent can see this advantage, to his disappointment.

At the same time, "finger service" is also visible, but it is banned.

So, obviously visibility is not enough in TT.

Why not be consequent and ban different rubbers on both sides?

[adham]

^^

It does not seem to be a priority or a pressing issue for the national associations members of the ITTF. Perhaps you could propose it to your national association if enough players think like you.

Adham

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[Mighty]

^^

I'm well aware of the right way to change a TT rule.

I just would like to read your opinion on the issue, if you would find it possible to write it in this forum.

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[Ghosttalker]

Dear Mr. President (Oh a Pink Song),

I have some questions:

What do yout think is the best way to a requesting for the re-introduction of frictionless long pimples?

Normaly we have to go "the long way" through district-, state- and country-days up to ITTF for a request.

Imho, if I make such a propsal at the "district day" (the first instance to make suggestions for changing rules etc.) everybody would lough (aside from former frictionless long pimples players) and say: "The ban is very god, now you have to learn to play tabletennis - you are no longer "nearly unbeatable".

Most players who favor the ban are people who always had problems with "material-players"(pimples, antis tec.).
They will always say: "You only won because of your pimples" etc.
For them, a ban of all pimples would even be better!
But hey! It´s not because I play pimples - it´s because they can´t play against them!

How many long pimples players make it to the top of the world?
I can count them with my two hands - I think. Backside rubbers are getting faster and better and somebody makes rules to penalise defenders more and more! (Aspect ratio, bigger ball(less rotation), ban of frictionless long pimples).

Most people who are for the ban only see the aspect, that they now will win against those players they always lost - they don´t see the factor of "cheating" in form of aftertreat rubbers.
They say "Pimples players are only god because of their pimples - give a rookie some pimples and he will play on higher "state-niveau".

When I come to frictionless long pimples, it was a hard way to win my first games at all - it took me a long time to play (for my options) perfect with them - almost a year!
I would see all the peoples faces if ITTF would create a rule, that everbody has to play with pimples - everbody who is now happy about the ban would even cry louder then former frictionless pimples players do that at the moment!
You can´t take somebodys toys!!!!

In a test-discussion-board for pimples in the INet, people post their results of mails they wrote to the DTTB - and the answer from them is not so polite as you answer in this board!
They say: "Playing with long frictionless pimples hasn´t anything to do with "defense" and is not attractive for tabletennis!" They don´t answer the direct question what they think about the fact, that aftertreating is nowadays more popular then before the ban (the original resean for the ban was aftertreating - am I right?)
When I read all the results of mails, letters a.s.o. to the ITTF or DTTB, more and more I get the feeling that aftertreating was not he main reason!!!
I think the main reason is, that playing with frictionless long pimles is not good for tabletennis, is ugly to watch, ugly to play against a.s.o. (in the opinion of all peoples who favour this ban and give their vote for it!)

So DTTB has his unchangeable opinion about the ban!
They also have the opinion that the use of frictionless long pimples don´t bring forward modern tabletennis but destroy it!
I would like to say, that the modern "power tabletennis" is even getting worse and destroys tabletennis too!!!

Service, return, point a.s.o. - its very hard to watch in TV or Live at an event - I would never pay to visit a event which is finished after 1-2 hours!!!

Regards,

Still frustrated player who is waiting for the re-introducing of frictionless long pimples!!!

[adham]

^^

Thank you for this detailed account. I know you are frustrated. Any change to something we like or are used to is very frustrating. I completely understand. My personal philosophy is to let everyone play as they like and as they enjoy and to have minimum restrictions and minimum rules. But this is just me. I do not run the ITTF alone. In fact all such decisions relating to the Laws of Table Tennis are made by the Annual General Meeting of the ITTF by the members of the ITTF. The members are the national associations (205 members) including the DTTB, and each member has one vote. So, in fact, the decision to establish a minimum friction level for pimpled rubbers was not just a DTTB decision, but the large majority (more than 90%) of ITTF members also voted that way.

Unfortunately, as you said yourself, you find yourself in the "minority" in this case. I also many times find myself in a "minority" and it feels very bad. But this is the base of democracy, the majority rules ! So, when we are in a minority we have 2 choices: a) to accept and adapt, or b) to convince the majority and to increase your group to follow your ideas until it becomes a majority.

I can see that making proposals to the DTTB may not work if you really are a small minority. However, if you have large support for your cause in your country, then DTTB will for sure listen.

You mention what you think is the real reason for making the minimum friction rule. You are probably right, but it is not the ONLY reasons. Also the ITTF wishes to have some limitations and regulations to guide the manufacturers and to detect post-factory treatment of rubbers which is illegal by ITTF rules. So, a minimum friction rule was established. Personally, it does not matter to me. Play with your frying pan if that makes you feel happy, this is how I think. But the "majority" wants a limit for friction for many reasons including the ones you mentioned.

Now, what to do? Keep complaining and feeling frustrated? I suggest not. Instead, as you said it took you one year to reach a good level with low-friction rubber, then my advice, is PLEASE take another year and make it a challenge and have fun adapting to a new type of rubber. I am very sorry if you feel I am being insensitive, but honestly this is the best advice I can give. But PLEASE, yes I repeat PLEASE, keep playing table tennis. This is a great sport and one of the few sports that you can play in so many ways. You enjoyed a few years already playing in one way, now make it a "fun" and "serious" challenge to play in another way. It's a sport, it's fun, it's healthy, and please keep on playing and convince your friends to accept the rules and keep on playing also.

Adham

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[mmm]

Zitat von adham

But this is the base of democracy, the majority rules ! So, when we are in a minority we have 2 choices: a) to accept and adapt, or b) to convince the majority and to increase your group to follow your ideas until it becomes a majority.

I can see that making proposals to the DTTB may not work if you really are a small minority. However, if you have large support for your cause in your country, then DTTB will for sure listen.

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.

Irony-Mode on.
I think we should forbid playing with the left hand. It's ugly to see when a left-hand player and a right-hand player compete. Also, the right-hand players have the majority, and therefore they rule. Lefties have no future. They can continue to play, but they must learn to play with the other hand. It can be fun and in a few years they may be nearly as good as before.
Irony-Mode off.

The point is that any non-mainstream playing style that could harm the offensive players was banned (even if you don't call it so) by the "majority" in our sports in the last decades.

In Football, for example, Greece won the European Championships in 2004 in a very destructive, un-attractive but effective style. No friend of offensive football was happy about it. But on the other side it was really refreshing that an underdog could achieve this. No rule was adapted to avoid this in future.

In Table-Tennis, when John Hilton won the European Championships in 1980 (in a very destructive, un-attractive but effective style), the ITTF and their members were also not amused. The first thing they had to do was to change the rules, so that this never happens again.

Pardon me for being a bit rough, but that had to be said from my side.

[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.

[TSC]

Right, I've already said it and I will say it once more: Please refrain from discussing frictionless pimples in this thread (again). I don't want to have to moderate this thread. Feel free to open a new one about it, though.

[mago]

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.

.

Thank you, friend of Japan.

Sorry...if we annoy the president, but you understand...if someone don't let us play with our rubber...if someone destroy our "little game" and we don't have another way for TT satisfaction (it is too late for learn the right TT, excuse me...)...

You must try to think...if you play (for ex.) with Bryce and i say ...good, now stop...you must play ONLY with long pimple...i think you don't accept this, isn't ?

Tschuess !!!!

[adham]

Zitat von Mighty

^^

I'm well aware of the right way to change a TT rule.

I just would like to read your opinion on the issue, if you would find it possible to write it in this forum.

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In my opinion I think that it would be difficult to implement. The idea is good, but the implementation would require some kind of control to ensure that both sides are the same (or nearly the same). So we would get into a new type of racket testing comparing both sides and making sure that one side is not treated, etc. In Table Tennis one of the main characteristic (as you can see from this Forum) is players like to have a different rubber on each side to suit their styles. I am not sure that your proposal would be popular. Perhaps many would agree with you, but I am not sure that the majority would want this change, As I said, in any case no one has proposed it yet.

Adham