ITTF major events will be getting overhauled
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) have decided to set up a working group to study the structure and format of the ITTF’s future major events.
The decision was made at the ITTF Board of Directors (BoD) meeting held during the Perfect 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
The Board of Directors also decided that the ‘Planning and Promotion’ group will have to come up with a proposal to the Executive Committee by the end of this year on the concept and direction the ITTF wishes to take.
Newly formed ‘Planning and Promotion’ group is consisted of highest ITTF and Continental Federations officials. It is chaired by SHI Zhihao ITTF Executive Vice President and the members are Vladimir SAMSONOV member of the ITTF Executive Committee Ronald KRAMER President of European Table Tennis Union CAI Zhenhua President of the Asian Table Tennis Union Khaled El SALHY President of the African Table Tennis Federation Tony KIESENHOFER Presidents for North America Table Tennis Union James MORRIS President of Oceania Table Tennis Federation and Juan VILA President of Latin America Table Tennis Federation. The members are also Glenn TEPPER ITTF Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Steve DAINTON ITTF Marketing Director.
Following the creating of the working group ITTF’s CEO Judit Farago stated: “During the 2016 World Championships it became more apparent that the ITTF needs to take a look at it’s major events to ensure they are structured in a way to ensure the maximum commercial and promotional benefits to the ITTF and international table tennis.”
Based on the Swedish 2018 World Team Championships organizers’ latest update report on the conditions in Halmstad the Board decided that a maximum of 72 Men’s and 72 Women’s teams will participate at the 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships.
At the same time the Board did not exclude further changes if the working group comes to such conclusion within its mandate.
At the meeting the Board confirmed the allocation of several upcoming major junior events:
2016 World Cadet Challenge allocated to Shanghai China
2017 World Cadet Challenge allocated to Suva Fiji
2018 World Junior Championships allocated to Riva del Garda Italy
The Board of Directors also gave the mandate to the Executive Committee to approve the ITTF Code of Ethics and Code of Prevention of Manipulation of Competitions documents and to add them to the ITTF Handbook with effect of 1st September 2016.
