- Changes to rules must be proposed by a member association or by an ITTF committee and must receive a majority of at least 75% to be passed

- The proposal to change the diameter of the ball to 40 mm was first defeated at the General Meeting of the ITTF in August 1999 (73,5% in favour)

- The 40mm proposal was passed, as a second attempt, at the 2000 General Meeting with a majority of 96% in favour.

- The change of the scoring system to 11 points was passed at the ITTF's AGM in Osaka in May 2001 (implemented on 1 September 2001) and received 95% votes in favour.

As you can see, all decisions followed the democratic route and were duly voted upon at our General Meetings of members. So please rest assured that democracy was not violated.

- For each change, several years of experiments and research were undertaken with regular reports submitted to our members. In Canada, the CTTA provided the necessary information to its member Provincial Associations and the direction and position to be taken by the CTTA was also decided at the CTTA's Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings.

As a player in a club in BC, it would have been your responsibility (if you are a member of the BCTTA) to provide your opinions and concerns through your BCTTA representative to the CTTA. If you are not a member of the BCTTA then of course you are not part of the system. If you are a member, I am sure that your input would have been welcomed.

40mm ball:

- The objectives of increasing the size of the ball is to make the ball more VISIBLE on TV. This objective was reached. A side effect of increasing the size of the ball was to also make it slightly slower and with slightly less spin. These two side effects have also been achieved and have enhanced the quality of the sport as a spectator and entertainment activity. This was proven at the latest World Championships in Osaka, where the rallies were longer, the play more spectacular and the ball more visible on TV.

- The reason we limited the increase to 40mm and did not increase it further was based on our studies on how the increase would affect the techniques of the players. We found that if we increased the ball size further it would affect the techniques of the players and would take a very long time for the players to adjust. Hence, we limited the increase. However, you are right, our "visibility" objective would be enhanced and further achieved with a 44 or 46 mm ball. Instead we are trying to change the colour combinations in a court to make the ball more visible to TV. We are testing different floor and background colours against various ball colours to see the best contrast and best visibility on TV.

By the way, probably to your surprise, also tennis is experimenting with larger balls and will soon introduce them in top level competitions.

Counting system 11 points:

- In this case there is no change in technique for the players, so we proceeded at a faster pace.

- The new counting system applies only to the International level. The CTTA has adopted the same counting system to the National Level. However, at your club your are free to use whichever counting system that you like. We are not imposing this change all the way to the club level.

- I would suggest that you try 4 out of 7 matches instead of 3/5. You will find that you will play more games and you will have more exciting game endings.

- You are right that the switch-over of service every two points may be annoying. It is a question of getting used to the new system, but it has reduced the importance of the service, which was one of our objectives.

- The 11 points games have very quickly achieved their objectives: more excitement, more interesting parts to the match, more upsets, more tension, less boring parts to the game, more interest from TV, etc.

- The change is receiving unanimous approval at the international level from players, coaches, officials, the press and the spectators.

Since you consider yourselves "old-timers" in your club, I can see a conflict. On the one hand you wish to stick to tradition and play the way you have for many years. Of course this is your privilege and prerogative. No one is forcing you to change (if you wish I am willing to donate to you 38mm balls). However, on the other hand, you must admit that the 40mm ball is easier to use for "old-timers" and that 11 point games are shorter and more suited also for "old-timers". Many in your age category have told us so.

By the way, I salute you and your members for playing our sport at the ages of 55 to 86. This is just great and it gives you the right to play our sport any old way you want (no pun intended). I was amazed when I saw some players over 80 playing in Vancouver at the 2000 World veteran Championships at UBC.

Unfortunately, I do not agree with you that our sport under the old rules has been successful for hundred of years. If that were true, believe me, we would not make any changes. The reality is that our sport was losing ground in popularity and in participation over the last 20 years. With the recent changes we are now experiencing a resurgence in both popularity (TV coverage, etc.) and participation (increase in number of members in many national associations). To your surprise, I would like to inform you that table tennis is not the only sport that is changing its rules and counting system. Sports such as tennis (tie-break), volleyball (scoring), soccer (no pass to the goal keeper), just to name a few, have all made changes over the last few years.

In any case, I assure you that all changes made by the ITTF follow a very rigorous and deliberate methodology of research, consultation and experimentation before a final proposal is made. And do not forget that at least 75% of the world needs to approve the change in order to pass it.

Now, regarding our level of intelligence, I must admit that I do question it sometimes myself. Why would intelligent men and women, of mature age, spend all their week-ends, all their free time, and all their energies, FREE OF CHARGE, to think how they could improve their beloved sport. These people must be crazy!

Adham Sharara , ITTF - President

Gentlemen ... or Ladies

Margaret Smith, the USATT Director of operations very kindly gave me your e-mail address. I belong to a club consisting of old timers. We normally play 3 times a week in White Rock, British Columbia. We are nearly all retired with ages ranging from 55 to 86 years old.

Many of us are somewhat annoyed with the change to the larger but slower ball ... and very annoyed with the change to 5 games x 11 instead of 3 x 21 plays and extremely if not viciously annoyed with the switch-over after 2 serves to the next server. There is absolutely no logic at all in that.

Personally, I wonder and wonder just who these people were who made the changes? Intelligent? I have some doubts.

Better for TV viewing, perhaps... with the slower ball? Certainly the slower ball means less missing of the table and is easier for beginners. If that is the logic, why not 42, 44 or 50 mm instead of 38? Then any old lady could play it as the ball inertia would drop enormously & the game would get to become very uninteresting. I wonder, too, how many other people have been upset? Can you imagine the furore if the soccer or the rugby or the cricket or the baseball was increased in size?

We ask ourselves, what logical reason was there for changing a ball size that has been in successful operation for over 100 years? It slows the game down, doesn't it? Who were consulted about this? We weren't and I doubt very much that any Seniors Clubs in British Columbia or Canada or in the World were consulted, too. We never heard about the rule changes until it was undiplomatically passed by you people.

A response would be most appreciated ... and it would be posted on our bulletin board.

Yours truly,
Freeman Newton, Co-ordinator of the White Rock Seniors Table Tennis Club ... 42 members, 4 tables, air conditioned, good lighting and a good non-slip floor.

P.S. I don't think that ANY our members will want to use the 5 sets of 11 plays !!! I sure won't want to !