On March 6th, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) issued a ban accusing former Chinese table tennis player and coach Xu Ke of sexual harassment, resulting in a 10-year suspension.
In the published ruling, the ITTF clearly accused Xu Ke of violating the anti-harassment policy and imposed a 10-year ban on him. The ban period will start from December 17, 2024, and end on November 1, 2032, also requiring him to complete relevant education and training programs.
In the official announcement, the ITTF stated that the incident occurred in the early hours of January 1, 2021, when Xu Ke invited four players to his room for drinks to celebrate the New Year at an international training camp in Chengdu. Subsequently, the victim (an American female team member) returned to her room, and Xu Ke obtained her room number through WeChat without permission and forcibly entered her room, committing a sexual assault. The victim clearly stated her refusal.
The ITTF’s investigation was based on the victim’s statement and chat records between the individuals.
The chat records showed that Xu Ke actively asked for the victim’s room number and persisted in entering the room despite her saying she wanted to sleep, insisting on coming in to “chat a little longer.” Additionally, the ruling mentioned that Xu Ke’s actions seriously violated the ITTF’s anti-harassment policy, and no valid evidence to rebut the allegations was found during the investigation.
The chat records indicated that the American athlete explicitly stated it was 3:30 in the morning and she was tired, saying, “Goodnight, OK? Happy New Year.” Xu Ke replied, “Happy New Year is fine, but Goodnight is not, can you open the room door for me to chat a while more? Room 305?” The American athlete responded, “I don’t want to chat, I really need to sleep, I’m brushing my teeth.”
On March 9th, Xu Ke released a statement denying the allegations and accused the ITTF of distorting facts.
Xu Ke claimed that during a New Year’s Eve gathering on December 31, 2020, as others left one by one, he suggested the American player leave as well. However, she wanted to stay longer, expressed interest in him coaching her, asked about salary issues, and inquired about his personal feelings, all of which he politely declined. Later during a voice call, the American player mentioned living in a room just across him within 10 meters, inviting him over for a discussion. He briefly entered her room after knocking on the door and returned to his room promptly (less than a minute).
This incident sparked discussions on Chinese social media platforms.
A Question and Answer expert and prominent Weibo influencer, “Brother Mai QaQ,” commented, “From the chat records provided by the female side, it does seem like the male party was actively seeking to enter the room, with a hint of entanglement and harassment in his words. As for what happened after he entered the room, that remains unknown. With the male party unable to provide substantial evidence to refute the claims, the only thing he could say was that the other three people can verify the truth. Who these other three people are, we do not know, and I believe they would also be unwilling to wade into this controversy.”
Financial blogger “Xiaoyaozi Changchun” said, “If the chat records are authentic, the intentions seem quite clear.”
Netizens remarked, “From the chat records currently available, he wasn’t invited, so it remains to be seen if there will be further investigation.”
Financial blogger “Dinosaur Against Wolves” commented, “What a bombshell dropped by the ITTF upon waking up! Publishing the chat records between Xu Ke and the female athlete certainly stirred up a storm! Some say the records clearly show Xu Ke’s misconduct, while others question whether the ITTF’s decision based solely on these chat records was hasty. Xu Ke insists he is innocent and plans to seek legal recourse. Netizens are divided, arguing back and forth; some blame Xu Ke, while others cry foul for him. This drama is more thrilling than a TV series; let’s await developments for the truth.”
Born in 1991, Xu Ke is a former national table tennis player who competed for the Bayi team. During his tenure, he defeated top Chinese players such as Ma Long and Xu Xin. From November 8th to 10th, 2020, Xu Ke participated as a coach in the ITTF World Cup held in Weihai, China.
After retiring, Xu Ke transitioned into a table tennis coach and was employed by a private club in South Korea. In 2022, he married renowned table tennis player Tian Zhixi. Tian Zhixi, born in October 1992 in Langfang, Hebei Province, obtained Korean nationality in 2011, becoming a Chinese ethnic table tennis player in South Korea.