Li Xiaoxia became a member of the ITTF World Ranking Working Group as an expert representative. Infographic/IC photo
On April 21, Table Tennis "Grand Slam" winner Li Xiaoxia "returned" to the table tennis arena and became a member of the ITTF World Ranking Working Group as an expert representative. The organization, established in 2021, works on a number of issues such as reviewing world ranking system policies, providing athletes with a fair chance to improve their world rankings, and providing professional advice to the ITTF Executive Board.
On January 1, 2017, Li Xiaoxia announced her retirement, ending her 22-year table tennis career. At that time, she said: "Even if there are too many unwillingness, I still want to say goodbye to everyone today." Goodbye to my dearest table tennis, goodbye to my supreme Chinese table tennis team. ”
After retiring from the army, Li Xiaoxia soon got married and had children to start a new chapter in her life, and now she is a mother of two children. In the past few years, although she has spent most of her time at home with her husband and children, Li Xiaoxia has never been far from table tennis, and she knows the results of every world championship of the national table tennis team.
In an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Beijing News on April 28, Li Xiaoxia said that she was a female athlete, and she was played from the grassroots, and she could especially understand the feelings of table tennis players. Since she has the opportunity to participate in the work of the ITTF, she must fight for the greatest rights and interests of athletes.
The following is Li Xiaoxia's narration -
Initially refused to "comeback"
Entering this group (ITTF World Ranking Working Group) work stems from the recommendation of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. However, when Secretary-General Qin Zhijian first approached me, I initially refused.
From my own point of view, after all, the two children are too young, including the time of the meeting and many uncertainties. Also, I don't know much about points, and I don't know much about this aspect when I'm an athlete. In addition, there is also the language aspect, I am also half a pound, worried about going to the organization to "smear".
Later, the leaders of the Chinese Table Tennis Association exchanged with me several times, hoping that I could work in the International Table Tennis Federation, which was also to expand the world influence of table tennis. After a few exchanges, I decided to accept the position, which was also an opportunity for me to learn.
On April 21, I attended the working group meeting for the first time, mainly to listen to everyone's opinions. At first, I felt that everyone might not know much about table tennis points, but when the meeting was held, I found that only I didn't understand it very well. There are 9 people in our group, there is Sever, and the head coach of the German team, etc., everyone knows table tennis too well, because foreign players pay more attention to points and rankings.
In the past two years, because there are WTT events, there are Grand Slams and other events to join, the points of table tennis players may have some changes. We will discuss, for example, whether to cancel points before 2021, how to deduct points when athletes withdraw from the game, how to retain points in case of injury, and so on. Also, for many female athletes, it is a pity that the points are cleared because of marriage and children. How to retain this point and how long to retain it are all questions for everyone to explore.
When I joined this group, I had to think about things from the perspective of an athlete. Especially since I'm a female athlete, I know it's not easy for women. If it is really because of injuries or marriage and children, it is still a pity for athletes to suddenly lose points. Chinese athletes are fine if they want to play from scratch, because they have the strength, but many foreign athletes are indeed facing the situation of being eliminated. Therefore, I still hope to fight for the greatest rights and interests of these athletes.
China's outstanding athletes must go to the international stage
Before I decided to do this job, I did a lot of homework, and the Chinese Table Tennis Association also gave me a lot of information to refer to. Changing the environment and field again is also a process of learning and growth for me. When I was an athlete, I didn't know much about the table tennis points system. To be honest, I don't know how many points I've won or how many points I've lost.
During this time, I will also learn about the points pattern of other projects. I know that tennis has a relatively well-developed points system, and they think about it more thoughtfully. Table tennis projects are also slowly paying attention to these, otherwise everyone would not be discussing the points together. Of course, this also requires a step-by-step process.
Nowadays, more and more table tennis players are beginning to pay attention to points. Many foreign athletes may not be very high-level, but we will also find ways to let them participate in high-level competitions and go through some masters. I come from an athlete background, and I know how difficult it is to play from the grassroots little by little and win the Olympic championship. And, I especially understand that when you are not very famous, you actually want to compete with the most famous athletes in the world. Therefore, we should try our best to fight for it so that everyone can show their best self on a big stage.
I've always said that this is my personal learning opportunity, and for me it really is, there's going to be a lot to learn in every field. Every time you face something new, there is a sense of freshness. But fresh to fresh, to really do a good job must be careful, this is the same as playing.
In recent years, Chinese table tennis has a trend of international development. We, Chairman Liu (Liu Guoliang), are now the Executive Vice-President of the ITTF and the Chairman of the WTT Council. These outstanding athletes of Chinese table tennis should go to the international stage and truly make table tennis a sport that attracts the world's attention like football and basketball. We must let people all over the world know about table tennis and participate in it, and I think this is what we ping pong people especially want to see. Of course, this is a gradual process, a bite can not be fat, no one can change a country's sports preferences in a short period of time. Therefore, this requires more professional people to participate.
Li Xiaoxia volunteered during the epidemic. Photo: Li Xiaoxia Weibo
When "big white" just want to give back to society
My being a "big white" is really a small thing, from the beginning to the end is a thing I especially want to do, really just a small effort. I'm a former national team athlete and I have all this today because I've got a lot of help. Now there is a little opportunity to give back to the community, and of course I will do my best to do it, no matter how big or small the reward is.
In March, the epidemic in Shenyang was more serious for a while. At that time, when our community was doing nucleic acid for the first time, I found that volunteers were very hard, they had to maintain order, they had to scan the code carefully, and they had to do a lot of trivial work. For example, if we start doing nucleic acid at 9 o'clock, they have to be in place at 7:30, and they have to put on the protective clothing in advance.
At that time, I applied to the community to volunteer. Volunteering during the epidemic is also conditional, first of all, depending on your age and physical strength. In addition, now that it is the information age, we must know how to use mobile phones to enter various information.
At that time, the community staff asked me to think again, after all, my two children were very small. They said that they were not afraid of ten thousand, but if there was any problem, the whole family would have to be transferred and quarantined. Before volunteering, I also consulted with the child's father, and his first reaction was to feel a little dangerous, but he was still very supportive of me, and we were both consistent on this point.
Regarding this matter, I also discussed it with my boss. She said okay, Mom, you go. Before watching the cartoon "Big White", she liked it very much and felt that "Big White" was a very powerful, very great character that could protect her. I need to set an example for my children and hope that they will bravely rush forward in the face of difficulties in the future.
After volunteering, you will find that it is really hard. My job was to scan the code to maintain order, and I stood from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and my legs were sore. Although it is very hard, everyone is very cooperative, no one is emotional, and everyone wants to work together to defeat the epidemic as soon as possible.
Children are not forced to practice table tennis
In the past few years since I retired, many people have been asking if I still pay attention to table tennis? I said pay attention, I will pay attention to the table tennis game, and I know the result. But if you really want to watch a game in its entirety, it's almost a luxury, you don't know when the child will wake up, when there will be something wrong, and sometimes the key round together will be missed.
Speaking of raising children, it was really a process of learning and growing for me. I always felt like a child, and before I grew up, I became a mother of two children. I love playing with the kids because my childhood was all about table tennis. Now that I have children, all I can do is stay with them and infect them with my actions. To say that it is too difficult for me to educate my children with cultural knowledge, this is still left to the teacher, I said to the child, your mother is really not good at this aspect. Of course, I will tell them a lot of successful experiences and failures in life, which are also important for their character development. My family is two girls, I do not ask much of them, polite, cheerful, lively, can face things positively.
I don't want to put too much pressure on them, they can do whatever they want in the future, look at their own creation, I forced her to do nothing. Everyone has their own thoughts, even if I force them to do it, when they understand things, they will say that they don't like this, I forced it.
Many people say that this condition of my family (Li Xiaoxia's husband is Zhai Yiming, a male table tennis coach in Liaoning), the child will definitely play table tennis in the future. My eldest is three and a half years old, and it is time to consider this problem. I would never force her to practice, of course she wants to play the best, and there may be some shortcuts. If she doesn't like table tennis, I'm not reluctant either, but I have to have one or two favorite sports, tennis, badminton, swimming or whatever. Sports is very important for children's physical and mental health, from an early age to deal with wins and losses, people will not be too vulnerable, encounter things will not be easily knocked down.
In fact, in recent years, I have been paying attention to youth table tennis, and I have been doing the "Kasumi Brigade" program. "Xia Brigade" is a public welfare project, and I have traveled to many places in recent years. I especially enjoy being with children in remote mountainous areas, many of whom have never even seen a table tennis table, and I really want them to feel the joy of sports, even if it is a temporary pleasure.
With the change of the times, everyone has a lot more choices in sports, and may not have the same love for table tennis as before. What I want to do is to continue to promote table tennis and let more people participate happily, whether it is the happiness of table tennis itself or the joy of making friends. I hope that everyone will start from happiness and have a motor skill and a healthy body and mind.
Sun Haiguang, chief reporter of the Beijing News
Edited by Han Shuangming
Proofread by Zhao Lin