Latest news with #ITTF
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
QTTA chief challenges ITTF presidential election result
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Table Tennis Association President Khalil bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi in a statement released has announced that he has taken legal steps to challenge the legitimacy of the recent fractious International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) election held last month for the presidency of the Olympic sport's international governing body. Al Mohannadi has filed an appeal before the (International Table Tennis Federation) tribunal and submitted a formal case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He described the electoral process of the ITTF to have been rigged by 'serious violations' that undermine the principles of transparency and democracy. The ITTF failed to resolve the conflict following the controversial re-election of Sweden's Petra Sorling as its president, after she received 104 votes against her opponent Khalil Al Mohannadi's 102 which was marred by the number of online votes. Al Mohannadi expressed his deep gratitude to the national federations that supported his candidacy and expressed their clear objection to the irregularities that marred the voting process. He considered this support to represent 'a shared belief that the future of the game must be built on sound legal and institutional foundations.' International legal steps: Resorting to arbitration Al Mohannadi revealed that he had filed a formal appeal with the ITTF Arbitration Tribunal, in addition to filing a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He emphasized that these steps came after submitting a formal complaint to the Nominations Committee, and within a clear legal framework stipulated by the ITTF Constitution and its electoral regulations. Alleged electoral violations The statement listed the most prominent of what it described as 'fundamental irregularities,' which includescCase:> 1. Accepting electronic votes despite the President of the General Assembly's announcement that voting would be paper-only, which it considered a 'clear violation of official directives.' 2. Registering federations on election day itself, exceeding the approved registration deadline. 3. Counting votes from federations that were not officially registered or had not been verified through the 'official roll call.' 4. Excluding the Nominations Committee, the sole body authorized to oversee the electoral process, which constitutes a violation of oversight and integrity procedures. Call to freeze electronic voting Al Mohannadi has called for a suspension of the use of electronic voting in all international federation elections, noting the need to establish technical and legal mechanisms to ensure accurate verification of each vote. He cited a similar precedent from the 2017 Dusseldorf elections, when proxy voting was annulled due to misuse, emphasizing that the current situation calls for a similar measure to preserve the legitimacy of the elections. Justice first Al Mohannadi has stressed that this is 'not just about an electoral outcome,' but rather a defence of 'the future of our sport and our international institutions.' He emphasized that the legal process will be pursued to the end to ensure justice and protect integrity of the sport. Election background The ITTF General Assembly, held on May 27, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha, Qatar, witnessed a tense atmosphere after indications of tampering with the voting process final results raised widespread questions, particularly after irregularities were detected regarding the number of electronic votes compared to the official announcement during the attendance registration process. This was in addition to the registration of federations on election day itself, and the counting of votes not included in the roll call. These circumstances cast a shadow over the integrity of the elections and sparked widespread controversy within the game and among representatives of several national federations. Al Mohannadi's actions are expected to have significant repercussions in the global sports community, especially with the growing calls to review electoral systems of international sports bodies, enhance transparency, and combat what some consider 'political control over sports.'
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
WTT India formed to host more high-profile international ranking events
In a major boost to the table tennis ecosystem in India, the World Table Tennis (WTT)—the events wing of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)—has formed WTT India with an eye on hosting more high-profile world-ranking events in the country. WTT India was formed earlier this month. The country now joins a select group of countries, including China, Singapore, Japan, Germany, and the USA, that have domestic WTT event companies. A. Sharath Kamal, the legendary paddler who retired earlier this year, has come aboard as the brand ambassador of WTT India, while Vita Dani, the co-promoter of franchise-based league Ultimate Table Tennis and an ITTF governing council member, will join as a member of the board of directors. 'You will start to see more WTT events and more international events. Eventually, in the next few years, you will start to see some of our bigger events coming here, whether that's Champions... we will explore Smash in the future as well. Although it's a different road to get that, hopefully even World Championships and big events on that scale (sic),' Steve Dainton, Group CEO of ITTF, told Sportstar. ALSO READ: UTT 6 season review: Rising talent, better games — but the same old hurdles 'Having people there that are working day to day on World Table Tennis will help us to achieve that quicker than having just us based out of Singapore trying to make it happen,' added Dainton. Sharath was excited to be a part of the project. 'This moment feels like the turning of a page. The sport has come so far in India, and now, with the WTT officially here, we have the chance to elevate it like never before,' he said. 'I am proud to represent this next phase—not just as a player, but also as someone who truly believes in the potential of Indian table tennis.' India at present, hosts two annual WTT events, a Star Contender and a Youth Contender series tournament. The number is likely to double in the next 12-month cycle with the new partnership. 'We only have to grow from here. I am hoping that we as a country are able to host 2036, and if that is the case, then this would be an ideal roadmap to lead up to the Olympics in India. I don't think we can ask for a better opportunity than this or a better partnership than this as far as table tennis is concerned,' Dani said. 'As you have seen, India has done exceedingly well in the last seven to eight years, better than ever before. For us to really ensure that we tap into the right talent, we need to get the right champions ahead. The WTT partnership will bring a lot of value to us, and I think it's important for us as a country to have a partnership like this.'
New Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Sport
- New Indian Express
UTT 6: Promising Yashaswini making notable strides
AHMEDABAD: Yashaswini Ghorpade's career has been on an upwards trajectory. After conquering the junior level of table tennis, she has transitioned to the senior level. The 20-year-old won the senior nationals in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh last September before shining again in her hometown Bengaluru in December. A noteworthy moment of her nascent career, however, came when she defeated the Chinese paddler, World No 35, Fan Siqi last week in the season six of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) at EKA Arena in Ahmedabad. Donning the orange and black jersey of U Mumba TT, Yashaswini displayed mental fortitude, edging past Siqi, who represented the Chennai Lions. That she won from a 2-7 deficit in the deciding tie, against an unbeaten opponent then, made it extra special. "It was a very important match for me as well as for my team (against Chennai). I did believe in myself for that match and I kept going, despite going 2-7 down. I kept winning the points as well. The celebration was amazing. I didn't believe it," she recalled. Yashaswini's victory was a significant one as U Mumba TT went on to qualify for the playoffs after beating Dabang Delhi on Thursday. "It's been great playing with the team. We have bonded really well for almost three weeks already," she said. Working under the guidance of a familiar face in John Murphy, the head coach of U Mumba TT, has helped. The Irishman is renowned for bringing Australia to the top-100 rankings during his tenure there. "I have known John since my youth. He used to travel with the Australian team. He has been quite helpful in the camps there as well. Knowing him quite well from before has also helped us in bonding very well this year. He is a great coach," she added. Prior to the UTT 6, which started on May 31, Yashaswini made her debut in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Championships mid-May. She paired with paddler Diya Chitale and lost in the pre-quarterfinals in the women's doubles event. This run came amidst forgettable outings for other Indian paddlers. However, it was a great learning experience for the youngster. "It was a great feeling playing with high-level players. This tournament (World C'ships) is second only to the Olympics. Myself and Diya played really well and gave our best," she said. Transitioning to the senior level of any sport comes with a lot of challenges for young players. Yashaswini explained her transition. "I have learnt that the pressure that we feel before the match, many people don't get to feel it. We are very lucky to feel it. I like the pressure going forward. I have learnt along it (transition to senior levels) to believe in myself and to continue the process and enjoy the moment," she said. Twelve weeks after being inducted into the ranking system of the ITTF, she is ranked 79. After UTT concludes, Yashaswini will be focussing on improving her game before next year's Asian Games. "I will be taking part in the Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar in October," she signed off. Yashaswini's level of performance is a welcome boost for Indian table tennis. Come Saturday, she will be hoping to inspire U Mumba during their semifinal encounter against defending champions Dempo Goa Challengers. Jaipur Patriots enter final It all came to the final, and the most-awaited match between Sreeja Akula and Diya Chitale to decide the winner of the semifinal tie between Jaipur Patriots and Dabang Delhi on Friday. In the second and final women's singles match, Sreeja Akula got things running by taking the first set home 11-9. Chitale remained determined and took the second set 6-11. Sreeja seemed unfazed by the pressure of the deciding set and guided the Patriots to Sunday's final.
Kuwait Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Qatar table tennis says ‘prepared to escalate' after chaotic vote
DOHA: Qatar's table tennis association has warned of possible legal action as it disputes the result of a stormy leadership election for the Olympic sport's world governing body in Doha. The Qatari association, whose president Khalil Al-Mohannadi narrowly failed to dislodge Sweden's Petra Soerling as head of the International Table Tennis Federation, said it was 'prepared to escalate' the matter. Tuesday's 104-102 vote to Soerling ended in such acrimony that the ITTF's annual general meeting was suspended. The world body said the assembly was 'disrupted by outsiders' after the election result was announced. A Qatar Table Tennis Association spokesperson, in comments sent to AFP on Monday, said it was 'actively reviewing all legal and procedural options... We believe there are sufficient grounds to question the validity of the election process'. 'We are also consulting with legal experts to ensure that, if necessary, we are prepared to escalate the matter through appropriate international sports arbitration channels,' the spokesperson said. 'The outcome of the election cannot be considered settled until all procedural questions have been independently reviewed,' the spokesperson added. On Thursday, the ITTF said it would investigate the disturbance by people, believed to be Mohannadi supporters, who 'were neither delegates from member associations, nor members of the executive board, council, committees, or invited guests'. It said the election was conducted 'in strict accordance with the ITTF constitution and statutes' and that it 'rejects the misconceived statement by some member associations to recognize any other result'. After Tuesday's vote, Soerling told Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter she felt unsafe and left the meeting with the help of staff from the Swedish embassy in Doha. The QTTA spokesperson said 'at no point was her safety compromised', while acknowledging that Soerling 'may have felt uncomfortable, as many of us did in what was an emotionally charged and unexpected outcome'. 'We note that in highly politicized environments, it can sometimes benefit certain individuals to sensationalize events,' the spokesperson said, speculating that Soerling may have been 'misquoted or misinterpreted'. — AFP
The Star
31-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Table tennis-ITTF to probe AGM disruption after presidential election
(Reuters) -The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) said it will investigate the disruption that forced the suspension of its annual general meeting in Doha this week after the re-election of Petra Sorling as president. The disruption started when Sorling, the ITTF's first female president, was re-elected until 2029 with 104 votes to the 102 received by her Qatari opponent, Khalil Al-Mohannadi. "After the presidential election had already concluded, the AGM had to be suspended following the disruption initiated by individuals who were neither delegates from member associations, nor members of the executive board, council, committees, or invited guests," the ITTF said in a statement on Thursday. "The ITTF regrets and strongly condemns the disruption. It will conduct an investigation to determine the various responsibilities and take measures, in particular, to avoid a similar disruption from happening in the future." The Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA) also released a statement claiming there had been discrepancies in the online voting and calling for an independent and transparent review of the election. "We are prepared to cooperate with any independent investigation or tribunal, including before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)," it said. The ITTF defended the legitimacy of the election process and said it was prepared to address any formal complaints in "the appropriate forum". Sorling decided to leave the meeting because she did not feel safe, as did the Swedish delegation, the Swedish Table Tennis Association (SBTF) said in a statement. The ITTF said it would reconvene the AGM before November this year to address agenda items that could not be completed in Doha. (Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Hogue)
