On Sunday 29 March 2020 the ITTF Executive Committee met to discuss further the effects of COVID-19 on the international table tennis event schedule.
Due to the continued uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games the ITTF Executive Committee reached the following decisions:
- Suspension of all currently planned ITTF events and activities that involve international travel until 30 June 2020.
- Proposal of new dates for the Hana Bank 2020 World Team Table Tennis Championships to be announced in the coming week.
- Freezing of ITTF Ranking lists as of March 2020 and further evaluation of all implications related to the postponement of events travel restrictions and other complications with scope for further decisions on potentially necessary adjustments.
- Adjustments to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games qualification pathways will be worked on after the dates of the Games have been decided.
- The ITTF has also been working hard to manage the 2020 finances with the Executive Committee agreeing to reduce their expenses and senior staff offering to take a salary reduction as the ITTF looks into other areas to save overall costs.
The above decisions overwrite those made during the previous ITTF Executive Committee meeting on 16 March 2020 in which today’s second meeting was already set up in order to follow up on the ever-changing situation globally.
Another follow-up meeting will be held on 15 April 2020 to further evaluate the situation.
The ITTF has intensified communications with the athletes through the support of the ITTF Athletes Commission and will continue to provide further updates on all upcoming decisions in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. There will be a survey going to all athletes for their input to ensure that all decisions fully reflect their opinions.
