Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: GB’s Will Bayley beaten in final after controversial penalty

After Bayley was awarded a point, he argued with Mikita at length and also spoke to an official off the court before having to accept the penalty.

He also spoke to the referee afterwards. Asked what he had told Mikita, Bayley said: “I said, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s the Paralympic final. It’s hard to take, I’m devastated and I’m emotional, it’s hard to talk logically.”

Bayley decided to return for the next Paralympic Games and go for gold in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I am good enough to win the Paralympic Games – 100% (I am going for LA 2028), I just need to get over this loss, I am sure that will happen in a few weeks,” he added.

Earlier on Friday, Rob Davies won silver in the men’s singles MS1.

The 40-year-old Welshman won gold at Rio 2016 but was unable to defend his title five years later in Tokyo due to a shoulder injury.

In Friday’s final, Cuban Yunier Fernandez won a narrow first game before claiming victory 14-12 11-7 11-4.

The medals won by Bayley and Davies added to the three bronze medals won by ParalympicsGB in Para table tennis earlier in the Games: Felicity Pickard and Bly Twomey in the women’s doubles WD14, Billy Shilton and Paul Karabardak in the men’s doubles MD14 and Twomey in the women’s singles WS7.