Paul Kovac

See if you can Stump the Ump... E-mail questions to Paul Kovac - your friendly on-line USATT umpire. Please note: Questions which have answers that are easily found by consulting the rules may not merit a reply.

Q: Are homemade blades allowed in USATT or ITTF tournaments?

- submitted by anonymous

A: The use of homemade blades at sanctioned tournaments should not be allowed. The rule requires that 85% of a blade has to be made of natural wood, and an umpire or referee has no way of checking this without destroying the blade.

Before ITTF allows manufacturers to put its logo on any equipment, thereby certifying that it complies with all aspects of the rule, the equipment is rigorously tested. Therefore, for all practical purposes, tournament officials have to look for the presence of the ITTF logo on the blade, to ascertain its legality.

- answered by Paul Kovac - your friendly on-line USATT umpire