London, May 3: The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has announced a strict investigation regarding athlete safety and respect. This decision comes after a female player reported ‘inappropriate physical contact’ during an entry security check at the World Team Table Tennis Championships finals.
In a joint statement, the ITTF, World Table Tennis, and the local organizing committee expressed serious concern over the allegations. They emphasized that every athlete has the right to feel safe and respected in all circumstances, and any form of inappropriate behavior is completely unacceptable.
The statement read, “Every athlete has the right to feel safe, respected, and secure at all times and in all places. What has been reported is entirely unacceptable. We want to be clear: there can be no compromise on the safety and dignity of our athletes. The ITTF, WTT, and the local organizing committee are in direct contact with the athlete’s team and are committed to ensuring that she receives all the help and support she needs.”
The organization has initiated a comprehensive fact-finding and safeguarding investigation. They are maintaining direct contact with the relevant athlete’s team to provide necessary assistance and support.
This controversy arose when the coach of the Chinese Taipei women’s team, Zheng Jiayi, claimed on social media that inappropriate behavior occurred during the security check of her player. According to her, the security personnel engaged in physical contact that could be classified as sexual harassment and also obstructed the player’s path.
The ongoing competition in London will continue until May 10, and this incident is now impacting the tournament’s atmosphere. However, the organizers have assured that a fair and transparent investigation will be conducted, and strict measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
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