Germany’s Thomas Weikert has won the ITTF Presidential election, defeating Jean-Michel Saive by 118 votes to 90.
The result was announced at the Federation’s AGM during the World Championships in Dusseldorf yesterday, with the incumbent President being returned to office for a four-year term
Formerly the Deputy President, Weikert became President in 2014 when Adham Sharara, who had held the office since 1999, assumed the role of Chair and Honorary President of the International Table Tennis Federation.
Weikert said:
“Thank you to all the national associations for their confidence in me to continue as President. I promise to keep giving my best to push the sport to new heights and achieve all my goals stated in my manifesto.”
The 55-year-old German will be joined on the ITTF Executive Committee by: Shi Zhihao (China), Petra Sörling (Sweden), Masahiro Maehara (Japan), Nestor Tenca (Argentina), Bruce Burton (Canada), James Morris (New Zealand), Alaa Meshref (Egypt) and Khalil Al-Mohannadi (Qatar).
The AGM was attended by Table Tennis England Chairman Sandra Deaton and Deputy Chairman Susie Hughes. Sandra is one of the 32 Board members of the ITTF, having been elected last October on a four-year term.
Among yesterday’s newcomers to the Board were an Olympic Games gold medallist and World champion, Korea’s Ryu Seungmin and Sweden’s Jörgen Persson.
The elected members are:
Africa: Andrew Mudibo (Kenya), Monqid El Hajji (Morocco), Ha Shun Hao Thyn Voon (Maurititius), Olabanj Oladapo, Yusuf Carrin (South Africa), Balla Lo (Senegal), Abdelrahman El Sallawi (Sudan), Thomas Kiggundu (Uganda)
Asia: Tony Yue (Hong Kong), Dhanraj Choudhary (India), Ryu Seungmin (Korea), Mohammad Sibtain (Pakistan), Abdulla Al-Mulla (Qatar), Thana Chaiprasit (Thailand)
Europe: Ivo-Goran Munivrana (Croatia), Dorte Darfelt (Denmark), Sandra Deaton (England), Sonja Grefberg (Finland), Heike Ahlert (Germany), Christinel Romanescu (Romania), Zdenko Kriz (Slovakia), Jörgen Persson (Sweden)
North America: Gordon Kaye (United States)
Latin America: Marguerita Felix (Barbados), Alaor Azevedo (Brazil), Henry Reimberg (Chile), Alexander Zamora (Costa Rica), Jorge Herrera (Guatemala), Teddy Matthews (St Lucia)
Oceania: Graeme Ireland (Australia), Anthony Ho (Fiji), Paul Kyle (New Zealand)