OpenTube

The Dark Side Of Chinese Tabletennis

Beyond The Podium

124,948 views

China built the greatest table tennis dynasty the world has ever seen.

But behind the Olympic gold medals and world titles… there were stories the sport rarely talked about openly.

In this documentary, we explore 5 of the most controversial and mysterious moments in Chinese table tennis history:
Players reportedly ordered to lose
Olympic semifinal rumors that never disappeared
The shocking China Open boycott
The strange disappearance of Fang Bo
And the scandal that made Zhang Jike vanish almost overnight

Some of these stories were confirmed.
Others became rumors fans still debate today.

Featuring legends like, Wang Liqin, Wang Hao, Deng Yaping, Liu Guoliang, Zhang Jike, Fang Bo, He Zhili and more.

This video dives deep into the hidden side of Chinese table tennis — where power, politics, pressure and control may have shaped the sport behind the scenes.

Was there really something happening that fans were never supposed to fully see?

Watch until the end and decide for yourself.

#TableTennis #ChineseTableTennis #ZhangJike #MaLong #WangLiqin #WangHao #LiuGuoliang #Olympics #PingPong #SportsDocumentary

20 Comments

@BeyondThePodiumOfficial Creator 1 month ago Pinned

What would you want me to cover in my next video? 🏓

@SL-jo4om 1 month ago

You forgot to mention the despicable treatment of Cheng Meng by fans when she beat Sun Yingsha for the gold medal in Paris.

@techviking23 1 month ago

You forgot to talk about Fan Zhendong!

Literally world #1 then all of a sudden disappear - not in any tournament. wtf

@georgitsvetkov3928 1 month ago

Same like every other sport and every country

@OurVisualTours 1 month ago

Thank you for the video! Could you please tell me which program you use to enhance videos?

@wukin_25 1 month ago

I think Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen also disappeared prematurely. The former was around 32 and used studying as an excuse.

@ilogicalmind3618 1 month ago

Where is Chen meng controversy?

@Tonyslgb 1 month ago

When there is limited space for everybody in the team, aren’t use supposed to establish criteria for short listing?
Its tough but happens everywhere…

@geeee-w6u 1 month ago

I thought Zhang Jike was badly injured that was why he retired!???

@Butterfly-No1 1 month ago

Chiny przez lata mogły przebierać w śród najlepszych i z łatwością skreślać świetnych zawodników ale teraz sytuacja jest inna bo Chiny stanęły pod ścianą . Czekałem na to długo i myślę że reszta świata też🏓🤔

@gerhardg2576 1 month ago

I wonder where Wang Chuqin and Sun Jingsha currently are. They didn`t take part at any of the last major tournaments.

@JoseArnaldoQuinteroMorloy 1 month ago

Zhang Jike was supposed to become what Ma Long became.

I always wondered what happened to him.

@Ml2017-g8y 3 weeks ago

Zhang Jike’s retirement from the Chinese national team was closely related to what happened during the June 23, 2017 incident. Unlike Ma Long and some of the other leading players, Zhang did not publicly stand behind Liu Guoliang or join the players’ collective protest. he did not want to get involved in the internal power struggle.
After Liu Guoliang returned to the national team in 2018, Zhang Jike was no longer selected for any international competitions. Zhang himself later said that he left the competitive scene because of certain “unavoidable factors”

@NotTheInvestment-o5e 3 weeks ago

Zhang Jike also had incredibly painful injuries he fought through for many years, including when he met Ma long in 2020 at the Olympics. If he was healthy I’m sure he wouldn’t played a bit longer, but not much because the generation was already playing at that time.

@SirCarmelli 12 days ago (edited)

great video

@linzhg78 3 weeks ago

Those outside the inner circle of power within the CTTA are only shown what those in control want you to see. The reality behind the scenes is often completely different from the story presented to the public, e.g. Zhang Jike in 2023.

@cr1tup 1 month ago

Так абсолютно во всех видах спорта и во всех странах. В России, например, так дела обстоят с футболом. Тысячи высококлассных футболистов, сильных своевольных остаются за бортом, хотя и послужили прямой причиной выхода их команд в премьер лигу. В России так же обстоят дела с боксом и борьбой, там столько закулисных скандалов и интрижек, но от этого никуда не уйти. Такой подход сделал советскую школу хоккея на льду, просто непобедимой. Так что не нам судить, хотя это и выглядит немного печально.

@ar00zx 1 month ago

I was rewatching Wang Liqin vs Wang Hao in 2004 olympics yesterday and then stumbled upon this video today. Funny because of how controversial that match was at the time.

@mega2codnoob 1 month ago

I remember in the asian cup a few years ago, Fan Zhendong and Lin Gaoyuan were playing for china. Lin gauyuan lost in the group stages against Lee Sangsu if I remember correctly. So fans (and myself) believe Fan zhendong then lost the match against Harimoto on purpose to get a good draw, so that the chinese team could get a gold and silver medal in the competition. Which they were able to achieve.