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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.'
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
RTHK
31-05-2025
- Politics
- RTHK
Sports body to probe Doha table tennis AGM racket
Sports body to probe Doha table tennis AGM racket Petra Sorling left the International Table Tennis Federation AGM in Doha, Qatar, as she did not feel safe. File photo: NurPhoto/AFP 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. "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 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," 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 said. The ITTF said it would reconvene the AGM before November to address agenda items that could not be completed in Doha. (Reuters)
Straits Times
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Table tennis-ITTF to probe AGM disruption after presidential election
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. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Qatar Tribune
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Al Mohannadi calls for integrity, inclusivity and leadership on eve of ITTF's elections in Doha
Presents vision for balance, justice, and development of the gameTribune News Network Doha Qatar's Khalil bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi, candidate for the presidency of International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) for the 2025-2028 term, called for the growth of table tennis globally through bold commercial strategies and to reinvest in athletes and communities that power the sport on eve of the sport body's elections to be held in Doha on Tuesday. Al Mohannadi called for integrity, inclusivity and leadership while promising to restore balance in the distribution of financial resources within the federation and to promote fair and sustainable development of the game globally, especially in countries with limited resources. The elections will be held on the sidelines of ITTF's annual meeting and are expected to witness a three-way competition between Swedish candidate and current president Petra Sorling, Khalil Al Mohannadi, and Mauritanian Mohamed Ould El Hassan. Presenting his vision ahead of the elections, Al Mohannadi explained that more than 60% of the federation's current spending is directed to events and operations, while the share of development programs does not exceed 10%. He described this as a 'structural imbalance' that must be addressed to ensure equitable growth of the game across all continents. Al Mohannadi emphasized that his program is based on five main pillars: The first is player development, by doubling prize money by 2029, increasing the number of World Championship slots by 48%, and allocating a portion of WTT profits to support new countries hosting tournaments. The second is infrastructure support, by establishing 20 training centers by 2029 and fully equipping them to support training, competitions, and youth programs. The third pillar is enhancing transparency and governance, in line with the principles of the International Olympic Committee, implementing independent audit mechanisms, and reducing administrative costs. The fourth pillar being commercial and media innovation, by launching the ITTF Legends Tour, supporting local leagues in underserved areas, and updating the federation's digital platforms to enhance public engagement. The fifth pillar of Al Mohannadi's electoral program is social impact, by developing the work of the ITTF Foundation, supporting local projects in member countries, and facilitating mechanisms for obtaining grants and using them in talent discovery programs. Al Mohannadi said, 'We want a federation that serves everyone, provides opportunities for everyone, and restores table tennis to its true developmental roots, without compromising the organization's financial stability.' It's worth noting that Khalil bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi currently serves as Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation, President of the Qatar and Arab Federations, and as current President of the Asian Federation. He is one of the world's most prominent sports figures in table tennis, with over 40 years of experience in sports management and international tournament organization. If he wins, Al Mohannadi will be the first Arab and Asian to head the International Table Tennis Federation, a culmination of an exceptional career and a new era of balance and efficiency in global leadership of the game.
