First European Championships that will launch new plastic balls is European Veterans Team Championships in Spanish Almeria at the beginning of the September. Three weeks latter 2014 European Teams Championships in Lisbon will also introduce new balls wh
First European Championships that will launch new plastic balls is European Veterans Team Championships in Spanish Almeria at the beginning of the September. Three weeks latter 2014 European Teams Championships in Lisbon will also introduce new balls whilst first event for youth with new balls will be in October – Europe Youth Top-10 in Tours in France
At the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in Riva del Garda youth from Old Continent will still play with old balls. The Championships starts next week.
Plastic balls will be used at all events sanctioned by the International Table Tennis Federation with immediate effect as and from Tuesday 1st July 2014.
However in order to facilitate the change as smoothly as possible celluloid balls will be used at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and at four ITTF Junior Circuit events taking place after 1st July 2014 but before the commencement of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games.
The four tournaments all part of the ITTF Junior Circuit where exceptionally celluloid balls may be used between Tuesday 1st July and Friday 15th August are as follows:
2014 Korean Junior and Cadet Open: Wednesday – Sunday 27th July
2014 Hong Kong Junior and Cadet Open: Wednesday 6th – Sunday 10th August
2014 Guatemala Junior and Cadet Open: Wednesday 6th – Saturday 9th August
2014 El Salvador Junior and Cadet Open: Tuesday 12th – Friday 15th August International Tournaments After Tuesday 1st July 2014 plastic balls will be used in the following events:
World Championships
World Junior Championships
World Cups (Men’s Women’s and World Team Cup) World Tour events including the World Tour Grand Finals World Junior Circuit events including the World Junior Circuit Finals (except for the four specified tournament in 2014) World Cadet Challenge ITTF-Continental Championships and ITTF-Continental Cups Olympic Games including qualification tournaments Youth Olympic Games including qualification tournaments (except 2014 Youth Olympic Games) All the other tournament organisers may use any ITTF approved balls plastic or celluloid.
