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≡ ITTF ELECTIONS ≡
The Annual General Meeting of the International Table Tennis Federation on 27 May in Doha (QAT) was headlined by the Presidential election, with incumbent Petra Sorling (SWE) winning a tight, 104-102 victory over ITTF Senior Executive Vice President Khalil Al-Mohannadi of Qatar.
The meeting immediately degenerated into an extremely tense shouting match between supporters of Al-Mohannadi and ITTF Secretary General Raul Calin (ESP) and Executive Vice President Graham Symons (AUS), who were running the vote. The Annual General Meeting was suspended and will resume online on Saturday.
A series of appeals followed, with the ITTF Disciplinary Tribunal finding that the meeting had been properly run, but with Al-Mohannadi filing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Three long-time table officials, all of whom supported Al-Mohannadi, filed candidatures for Executive Board (Vice President) positions: Alaor Azevedo of Brazil, Imre Kovacsics of Hungary and Robert Jjagwe of Uganda, but on Friday, were removed from the ballot as ineligible. The ITTF announcement explained:
“The lead-up to the election has been shaped by a series of integrity reviews. The ITTF Nominations Committee confirmed that several candidacies were examined by the Integrity Board following formal complaints and reports. Three candidates – Alaor Azevedo of Brazil, Imre Kovacsics of Hungary and Robert Jjagwe of Uganda – were declared ineligible.
“All three had been associated with the campaign of Khalil Al-Mohannadi, who was defeated by IOC Member Petra Sörling in the presidential election and whose appeals before the ITTF Tribunal were dismissed.
“Four additional candidates withdrew during the review period. According to ITTF sources, one further case remains under examination by the Integrity Board, and no decision has yet been announced.”
Al-Mohannadi has been involved as an ITTF Board member or officer since1997, Azevedo was head of the Brazil table tennis federation from 1986-92 then from1995 until earlier this year, and was fined in July for “irregularities” in the handling of federation funds in 2016 (an appeal was filed). Kovacsics is the president of the Hungarian federation and Jjagwe was the head of the Ugandan federation for 12 years, with a successor taking over in 2025.
The ITTF Nominations Committee report stated:
● “On 3 June 2025, the Committee received a complaint regarding Mr. Robert Jjagwe’s (UGA) eligibility. Upon deliberation, the Committee deemed him ineligible to stand for election for the ITTF Executive Board 2025-2029. Mr. Jjagwe did not appeal in time and was removed from the ballot.”
● “On 26 August 2025 and 8 September 2025, complaints and new evidence regarding Mr. Imre Kovacsics and Mr. Alaor Azevedo were received. The Committee requested recommendations from the Integrity Unit. After deliberation on 12 November 2025, and review of the Integrity Unit reports, the Committee declared both candidates ineligible due to failure to meet eligibility requirements.”
However:
● “Given the timing of the 12 November 2025 decisions and appeal rights under Article 10.26, the Committee resolved to maintain both names on the ballot for 15 November 2025 elections. If elected, their validity depends on (1) filing an appeal to the ITTF Tribunal and (2) the appeal being upheld. The election of either candidate does not confer the right to assume office unless an appeal is upheld.”
The Saturday election of the eight Executive Board members now has 12 candidates, including Virginia Sung of the U.S., who is expected to be elected, in part in view of the continental representation requirements.
Observed: The ITTF disciplinary unit has not taken any action against the “disruptors” of the Annual General Meeting in May, though suspensions – if not expulsions – were warranted.
But the Nominations Committee has possibly – possibly – sidelined Kovacsics, who was one of the speakers during the post-election melee in May, Azevedo and Jjagwe from a chance to continue on the ITTF Board.
Al-Mohannadi’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport appears to be the last element of his protest from the May meeting. Sorling has plans to move the federation forward and expand interest in the sport beyond its Asian base, expanding interest in Europe and small but growing interest in the Americas.
She can’t get any of those in motion until the rest of her Board is elected and the insurgency in her federation is neutralized. That’s not done yet, but there appears to be movement in that direction.
¶
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