Local organisers have confirmed that the 2021 European Veteran’s Championships (EVC) in Cardiff (Wales) will be moved to 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The EVC 2022 will be the largest table tennis championships to be hosted by Wales and the organising committee requested to move their event back a year to allow for the changes in the event calendar due to this worldwide crisis.
The event was originally due to be held between the 27th June-3rd July 2021 but the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) agreed to review these dates considering numerous events needed to reschedule a year later most notably the Bordeaux World Veterans Championships (WVC).
The EVC 2022 will be held at Cardiff Metropolitan University on the 26th June to 2nd July 2022 and Table Tennis Wales as the host National Association has been working closely with the local organising committee to ensure that the event website will be launched later this year with entries opening at the Bordeaux WVC.
Rhian PEARCE Table Tennis Wales CEO said: “We have been working closely with the ETTU to establish the best option for our EVC tournament and we are delighted that the ETTU are supportive of moving it to 2022. The COVID-19 crisis is proving an extremely difficult challenge for society and sport at present and we look forward to welcoming all the players to Cardiff in 2022 to our fantastic event”
ETTU President Ronald KRAMER fully endorsed the rescheduling of this event and said: “Of course it is with mixed feelings that we had to decide to postpone what has become one of the greatest festivals of table tennis in Europe. But under the present pandemic circumstances with the World Veterans Championships being moved from this year to 2021 I am grateful to all involved that we have managed to agree on having our European Veterans Championship now in 2022. Much to our comfort it will still be staged in Cardiff by the enthusiastic and dedicated Table Tennis Wales. Although – or is it because? – we have to wait a little longer we are therefore even more looking forward to this great event in 2022!”
Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Deputy Director of Sport Owen Rogers said: “We are disappointed that European Veteran’s Championships will not take place as planned next year. We’d been looking forward to welcoming players from across Europe to the Welsh capital and our world-class facilities here in NIAC.
“We look forward to working with Table Tennis Wales on making the next event even bigger and better when it returns in 2022.”
Event queries: evc2022@tabletennis.wales
