| By Terrence Voon | ||
 |  | Former national table tennis coach Liu Guodong waving to the media at the Meritus Mandarin hotel yesterday after a two-hour discussion with STTA officials. He is in town to seek clarification over remarks STTA president Lee Bee Wah had made about him. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN |
The two-hour meeting - which centred around recent comments made by STTA president Lee Bee Wah about Liu - was not the fiery showdown that many had imagined it would be.
Instead, both parties claimed the discussions were 'friendly' and 'cordial', and expressed hope that their dispute would be settled amicably.
Liu, 35, had flown in from China on Thursday with fire in his belly after learning of Ms Lee's remarks in the press last week. He claimed the remarks had besmirched his character and reputation. He wanted to meet the association to clarify Ms Lee's comments.
The Henan native got his wish on Friday, when the STTA rang him up to arrange an appointment with STTA chief executive Chew Soo Sheng and honorary secretary Soon Min Sin at the Shangri-La Hotel later in the day. Ms Lee was not present at the meeting.
After the discussion, Liu met reporters at the Meritus Mandarin, and said: 'During the chat, I conveyed my request (for clarification) to them.
'But we haven't finished discussing yet, and we will arrange another meeting again tomorrow.'
He was reluctant to reveal what transpired during the meeting, but said that there was a 'high chance' that his request for an explanation from the STTA would be granted.
When asked about the mood of the talks, he said they were 'cordial and friendly'. The STTA struck the same tone. Said Soon: 'We were happy to have a frank and friendly discussion with him.
'We agreed that we have to close the case and move forward, so we will continue to liaise with him and discuss further. The important thing is to settle the issue.'
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