The Chinese team reports racial abuse in the world of table tennis

HOUSTON (AP) – The Chinese authorities’ formal complaint of racist abuse against a single player at the Texas Table Tennis World Championships was taken “very, very seriously,” the sports governing body said.

An unknown spectator appeared to be directing the race to Liang Jingkun during his match at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston on Friday. Liang, who finished sixth, defeated Liam Pitchford of England.

“We got a complaint from the Chinese Table Tennis Association and we noticed something one night ourselves,” said Steve Dainton, CEO of the International Table Tennis Association.

“And as soon as we got the complaint together with the local organizers, we took it very, very seriously and started taking action,” Dainton told Chinese broadcaster CGTN America.

Liang advanced to the men’s singles semifinals and lost on No. 1 to his teammate Fan Zhendong, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, on Sunday.

Petra Sorling, the new president of the ITTF, said the organization, which was elected to lead him last week, took the matter “very, very seriously”.

“We stand against racism, and for us” Table tennis. For everyone. “There is a reality to life. It’s not just our motto,” Sorling told CGTN.