Team event to replace doubles at Beijing Olympics (Xinhua) Updated: 2004-08-23 19:58 Adham Sharara, president of
the International table tennis federation (ITTF) said Monday that he was very
optimistic that team competition would replace the current doubles events in the
Olympic table tennis tournament when the Games goes to Beijing in 2008.
"We have already had discussions with the IOC (international Olympic
Committee) president and IOC sports directors. And we are expecting the IOC
executive board to make a decision in 2005," said Sharara at a press conference
in the Galatasi Olympic Hall in northwest Athens, venue for the Olympic table
tennis tournament.
"The final decision belongs to the IOC executive board but we are very
optimistic (about the approval of the proposal)," he said.
The ITTF president said that as long as the number of participating athletes,
the days of competition and the number of equipment are not to be increased at
the Beijing Games, there should be no problem for the proposal to be accepted by
the IOC.
Asked about the details of the new team competition, Sharara said that the
ITTF had prepared several formats, but details would be given only after the IOC
approval.
But he revealed that there would "probably be 12 to 16 teams" in the proposed
Olympic team competition.
Earlier when asked about the Olympic draw rule changes, which stipulated two
pairs of players from the same association be drawn to the same half in the
doubles events and therefore were regarded as "unfair to the stronger players",
Sharara answered: "This will no longer be a problem because we have proposed
team competition to replace doubles for the next Olympics in Beijing 2008."
Chinese table tennis team head coach Cai Zhenhua had said before the Athens
Games that he supported the event change at the Beijing Games because it would
make the matches more competitive and more spectacular.
The Chinese paddlers have clinched 9 of the total 10 doubles golds at the
Olympic Games since the debut of table tennis at the Games in Seoul 1988.
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