(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-24 16:28

GUANGZHOU, China - The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is going to vote on Wednesday on a controversial scheme to limit the number of loyalty-switching players. Once it  passes, Chinese players who want to extend their careers overseas will be hit hard.

The proposal, raised by the Swiss table tennis association and backed by ITTF chief Adham Sharara, plans to ban the 21-year-old and older players from changing allegiances in order to play in the Olympic Games and world championships.

For the 15-17 year-olds who switch citizenship, they will have to wait for three years before they represent their adopted countries or regions, according to the proposal, which also suggests five years of waiting for 18 to 20 years old.

"It (the proposal) is good for table tennis," ITTF media chief Arne Madsen commented on the sidelines of the world team championships on Sunday.

"Look, Chinese are everywhere," said Madsen. "The ITTF have to do something. But I am not sure if the proposal will pass. Let's wait and see."

Sharara said earlier that a glut of Chinese players had made major table tennis events less attractive, citing the 2007 women's World Cup, in which 13 out of 16 participants were either Chinese or former Chinese.

In the individual world championships in 2007 which drew over 600 players, about 70 former Chinese were representing various countries and regions. Add the players from China and Chinese Taipei, the number of Chinese-speaking athletes is well over 150.

China is never short of table tennis talents as the country has invested heavily in the sport since Rong Guotuan claimed the 1959 world singles championship, the first world title of any sports for China.

"Every Chinese can play table tennis and there are so many good players in China hoping to be world champions," said the Beijing-born Liu Jia who represents Austria.

"It is very difficult to make it to the Chinese national team. For a better career, I joined the Austrian team," she added.

Beijing has churned out more table tennis expatriates than any Chinese cities. Zhu Fang (Spain), Li Jia Wei (Singapore), Yang Zi (Singapore) , Zhang Xueling (Singapore), Wu Xue (Dominican Republic), Li Qiangbing (Austria) and Wang Chen (United States) are all from the Chinese capital.

The women's game of the 2007 European championships was dominated by former Chinese. Liu Jia failed to defend her singles honor while the 34-year-old Li Jiao of the Netherlands downed the 44-year-old Ni Xia Lian of Luxembourg in the final.

Xu Yinsheng, chairman of the Chinese table tennis association, decided not to take sides on the Sharara-backed proposal.

The former ITTF boss said former Chinese players had helped their adopted countries or regions develop table tennis. But as more and more Chinese are moving out, problems arise, Xu noted.

"Some associations just use Chinese to achieve good results," said Xu. "They no longer bother to groom local talents."

Xu doesn't expect the proposal to pass easily.

"It has legal loopholes," he said. "Banning over 21-year-old players from switching teams is risky. They can sue you for violation of the right to work."