The allocation of table tennis singles qualifications for the Olympics has always been hotly debated. The Chinese Table Tennis Association recently announced the list of men's singles participants, in which Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong qualified, but the world champion Ma Long unexpectedly failed, causing widespread dissatisfaction in the media at home and abroad, and even former German table tennis player Ocharov expressed regret about it.
In the women's singles, the rules were adjusted several times, and finally Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng were qualified. As soon as this decision came out, Wang Manyu's fans were dissatisfied, and even Internet celebrity Zhang Xuefeng and famous reporter He Xiaolong publicly supported her, and there were many discussions on social platforms. In China, there is little chance of qualifying for the Olympic singles without a top-two ranking, so the competition is fierce.
On the other side, New Zealand's Alfred de la Pena announced that he had renounced his qualification for the men's singles at the Paris Olympics. The decision allowed him to be deferred to other continental rankings. De la Pena's withdrawal from the tournament has easily given up the opportunity that many players have dreamed of, but it also reflects that the promotion of table tennis on the international stage still faces great challenges. In other sports, such as basketball or football, teams often don't pass up such a precious opportunity.
De la Pena's waiver not only makes Olympic singles qualification less serious, but may also lead to severe penalties from the ITTF. Unless he can provide a good reason such as an injury, he could face points deductions and fines similar to Aruna's. This incident once again highlights the respect for rules and qualifications in the world of sport and its importance.