The "dress-up show" on the table tennis court: the helplessness of the athletes and the competition of the brand
In the mixed doubles table tennis competition at the Paris Olympics, the wonderful performance of the Chinese pair Sun Yingsha/Wang Chuqin (Shatou pair) was undoubtedly the focus. However, a seemingly ordinary interview session after the game unexpectedly sparked heated discussions among netizens. Behind this "dress up show" is the helplessness of athletes and the contest between brand sponsors.
The Shatou duo showed their strength with a comfortable 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 victory over the Egypt duo in the first round. But what really attracted attention was the scene in the post-match interview: Sun Yingsha first pulled Wang Chuqin's shirt, and then raised her hand to pull his shorts. This seemingly intimate little action immediately sparked heated discussions on the Internet, and many fans even shouted "It's not official yet, it's not appropriate".
However, the truth of the matter is quite helpless. It turned out that all this stemmed from the requirements of the sponsors of the national table tennis clothing. The national table tennis currently has two sponsors, Li Ning and Anta, and they need to wear Li Ning clothing during competitions, and change into Anta clothing during interviews and awards. This may seem like a simple requirement, but it can be quite a challenge for athletes who are busy competing.
Imagine that after a high-intensity competition, athletes not only have to adjust their condition and prepare for the interview, but also remember to change their clothing from a different brand. This undoubtedly increases their psychological burden. Some fans revealed that Sasha found that she didn't bring Anta's coat that day, and Xiao Zhi (coach) was so anxious that she called directly to borrow clothes. In the end, I found that Sasha was wearing a blue T-shirt, and the big head (Wang Chuqin) said that it was okay to wear it, and it was all Anta's. But the shorts with the big head at the interview were still Li Ning's, so there was that small action of reminding.
This episode, while seemingly insignificant, reflects the fierce competition among sports sponsors. Brand exposure is crucial for sponsors, and every opportunity to appear on camera should not be missed. However, does this stringent requirement really benefit the performance of athletes? Does it cause them unnecessary stress? These are questions worth pondering.
For athletes, their main task is to fight the field and win glory for their country. The additional "dress-up mission" undoubtedly distracted them. Perhaps, sponsors should consider simplifying these requirements so that athletes can focus more on the competition itself.
At the same time, this incident also reminds us that in the age of social media, even a small action can be over-interpreted. As fans and spectators, we should focus more on the athletes' performance and less on speculation about their personal relationships.
Next, the Shatou pair will face Chinese Taipei's Chen Siyu/Lin Yunru in the quarterfinals. We expect them to continue their good form and achieve great results on the field. Whether it's "Dasha Quartet" or "One King Unstoppable", what really matters is their wonderful performance on the table.
In this era of close integration between brands and sports, how to balance commercial interests and athlete needs is still a topic worth exploring. Perhaps, in the future, we will see more athlete-centric sponsorship models that allow them to devote themselves to the sport they love instead of being tied down by red tape.
The competition on the table tennis court is fierce enough, so why not make the world outside of the court a little easier? Let's look forward to the Shatou combination continuing to show the strength of Chinese table tennis in the next games and bringing us more wonderful moments.