'Glue ban is the same for everybody'

A proposed ban on glue containing dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has nothing to do with any conspiracy against China before the 2008 Olympic Games, according to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

Many players glue the rubber on their bats to improve control and spin on their shots. The proposal is for glue containing VOCs to be replaced by water-based glues.

The international body had previously decided the ban would not take effect until the completion of the Beijing Games next year. But at the ongoing World Championships in the Croatian capital, the Japan Table Tennis Association proposed bringing the implementation date forward to January 1, 2008 - a proposition which has the full backing of ITTF president Adham Sharara.

'The ITTF is responsible for the health of athletes. This is our main concern,' Sharara said. 'The change of glue will affect every player the same way - be they Chinese, German, Canadian etc. I am sure it will not be long before they get used to it.'

Sharara admitted many Chinese players were worried about the change as the Beijing Games approach, but he felt the mainlanders could adapt quickly. 'China coaches are very smart and Chinese players are very clever,' he said. 'We changed the service rule, and they remained the best. We changed the point scoring system, and they are still the best. I think it will remain the same after we change the glue.'

Sharara said the ITTF had asked players to try the new VOC-free glue and seven of them, including Athens Olympic men's singles champion Ryu Seung-min of South Korea, wrote back saying the new glue had had minimal effect on their performances.