In the top sport, where the boundary between victory and defeat is just a moment, every second, every detail can become an advantage - or trick. Recently, the controversial story from the table tennis about the Chinese athletes would like to change the shirt in the middle of the match - usually when the opponent was in spirit - once again made people ask: Is this a mischievous tactic in the framework of the law, or the sophisticated rule of law should be tightened?
The law allows athletes the right to take temporary leave to change their shirt if sweat affects the competition. However, reality shows that this "change of shirt" has taken longer than usual many times, creating conditions for them to receive more instructions from the coach, while interrupting the opponent's sublimation. And when this trend is systematically repeated - especially for Chinese tennis players - people cannot help but question.
Table tennis is not the only subject to witness this. In tennis, going to the dressing room to change shirts, using "Medical Timeout" at the right time the opponent is excited, it is not uncommon. Football is too familiar with the tactical "pitch" that lasts the time. Even chess - intellectuals seemed to be immeasurable - there was a scandal when the player excused to go to the toilet to ... use the support device.
They did not violate the law. But they are being questioned about whether it undermine the spirit of fair-play - something that sports always honor, or not?
Modern sports require sharpness, both in competition and psychological tactics. But if the law is still "gray area", not covering all situations, the responsibility lies not only with athletes or coaches - but also with those who make the law. If the law is not strict enough, we cannot blame the player for being "cks". However, we cannot ignore the negative side when "wice" is abused, causing the noble nature of sports to be distorted.
In the future, there will still be similar situations and new ones will appear. It is not known whether the law will be amended or supplemented or not, so the controversy cannot end.
And in fact, sports or life also need controversy to correct, not to determine the right or wrong.
