ACOG - News - IBM

(25 July 1996; Day 6)

Tunisian Table Tennis Player Disqualified from Women's Singles Match

The women's singles preliminary matches were not without controversy this morning as Sonia TOUATI of Tunisia was disqualified for an equipment violation.

TOUATI was set to challenge Taeko TODO (JPN) when her racket was confiscated by Chief Referee Wendell DILLON of the United States because it contained too high a percentage of trichloroethylene. This is a chemical product of the glue that many players apply to their rackets prior to every match, according to table tennis officials. Players use this glue in an effort to increase the speed and spin as the ball comes off the racket. The trichloroethylene found on TOUATI's racket was 17 times the International Table Tennis Federation's accepted maximum limit.

The violation was discovered when TOUATI was assigned by lot to present her racket for testing prior to the match. TOUATI did not appear for testing, but was later found in the practice hall where her racket was taken and evaluated.

The fourth seed in her round-robin bracket, TOUATI defaulted the match when she had no other racket with which to play.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Kim Chaudoin.


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