Lin Shidong celebrates on the table (Reuters)
In the men’s final of the World Table Tennis Team Championships (held on March 11, Japan time, in London), Japan fell 0-3 to China, settling for silver. In the third match of the contest, Lin Shidong, who defeated Hayasuke Togami (Imura Group) 3-1, jumped onto the table in celebration, sparking discussion in China as well.
According to Chinese media “NetEase,” Lin, who played as China’s third player in their 24th straight title win (12th consecutive tournament), was so overjoyed after the victory that he hopped onto the table and pointed to the Chinese flag on his chest with pride. Chen Qi, a commentator for China’s television broadcast, remarked, “Ah, standing on the table? No, no! You can’t stand on the table,” expressing his disapproval.
On Chinese social media, “Lin Shidong celebrates on table” trended. However, many netizens expressed support, with comments such as “A young player expressing joy emotionally captivates fans,” “He’s a hero,” and “Hope he won’t be penalized.” There were also voices saying, “This breaks the national table tennis rules.”
In the women’s competition of this same championship, a Romanian player similarly stood on the table, drawing much criticism in Japan. The Chinese media compared the two cases, noting, “The difference between Lin and the Romanian player is whether there was a subsequent match—Lin’s was the final match, while the Romanian’s caused a delay for the next match due to inspection.”