ITTF Development Report Magazine 1999-2005

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THE ITTF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

Breaking Down Barriers With Table Tennis Balls 34 LATIN AMERICA

CONTENTS 04 05 06 08 09

Messages Goals Overview, Facts & Figures The Concept Pyramid

CONTINENTS 10 22 30 34 44 46

Africa Asia Europe Latin America North America Oceania

PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

SPECIAL PROJECTS

46 OCEANIA

57 60 62 65 72 74

75

Ishraq Afghanistan Tsunami Rebuilding Women’s Development International Paralympic Table Tennis Committee ITTF Level One Coaching Manual & ITTF Coach Accreditation ITTF Films

REFLECTIONS 77 78

The Tamasu Legacy A Family Company An Idyllic Job Or Not?

Editor: Ian Marshall Research by: Glenn Tepper

PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

Designed by: Ian Marshall Contributors Branka Batinic, Steve Dainton, Lilamani de Soysa, Richard McAfee, Pere Miro, Zita Pidl, Adham Sharara, Polona Cehovin Susin, Glenn Tepper, Kerri Tepper, Sachiko Yokota-Heyerdahl

57 ISHRAQ

Photographers Afghanistan TTA, Carlos Alonzo, Angola TTA, Afshin Badiee, All Nepal TTA, Bangladesh TTF, Benin TTF, Jan Berner, Bhutan TTF, Botswana TTA, Raul Calin, Costa Rica TTF, Cameroon TTF, Choo Wei Khiang, Congo TTF, Congo D.R. TTF, Lilamani de Soysa, Djibouti TTA, Mariann Domonkos, Ivo Drinovec, Egypt TTA, El Salvador TTF, Rémy Gros, Guinea TTF, International Olympic Committee, IPTTC, Graeme Ireland, Ivory Coast TTF, Jordan TTF, Kiribati TTA, Jarek Kolodziejczyk, Eric Lalmand, Lesotho TTF Libya TTF, Monthly World Table Tennis, Norwegian TTA, Pakistan TTF, Palau TTA, Palestine TTA, Peru TTF, Zita Pidl, Stephan Roscher, Samoa TTA, Guido Schiefer, Senegal TTF, St Vincent & The Grenadines TTA, Solomon Islands TTA, Stag, Ivan Storti, Polona Cehovin Susin, Syria TTF, Tahiti TTF, Tamasu Butterfly, Togo TTF, TTA Malawi, TTA Malaysia, TTF Guatemala, TTF IR Iran, TTF Kosovo, TTF Kyrgyz Republic, TTF Uzbekistan, Thailand TTA, Glenn Tepper, Uruguay TTF, Vanuatu TTA, www.alltt.com, Yemen TTA Proof Readers Janette Cooper, Chuck Hoey Printed by The Minsun Company, No: 2577, Longhua Rd, Shanghai, 200232 P.R.China E-mail: minsun@minsun.com.cn

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MESSAGES PHOTO BY RÉMY GROS

PHOTO BY INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

Pere Miro Director, Olympic Solidarity

Adham Sharara ITTF President

It is my great pleasure to contribute a few words to this important ITTF Development publication.

The collaboration between Olympic Solidarity and the ITTF dates back to 1987 but was truly consolidated with the introduction of the ITTF Development Programme in 1999. With very similar objectives, in particular, the training of athletes and coaches, the ITTF Development Programme and Olympic Solidarity have been working hand in hand over the past 20 years to encourage and develop the practice of the sport of table tennis throughout the world.

Many activities have been organised during this period including assistance for the education and training of budding table tennis coaches, funding for the implementation of talent identification projects, Olympic scholarships for high level athletes endeavouring to train and qualify to participate in the Olympic Games and many more.

Thanks to the close collaboration which has been established between Olympic Solidarity and the ITTF the funding which has been made available for all these important actions either through the National Olympic Committees (Olympic Solidarity) or directly to National Table Tennis Associations (the ITTF), has been properly coordinated and used for maximum benefit to coach and athlete development.

I would like to take this opportunity first of all to congratulate the ITTF and its development department for the extraordinary efforts deployed over the years for the development and promotion of the sport of table tennis.

Furthermore, I would like to thank the ITTF Development department for its valuable and much appreciated contribution to the success of the table tennis projects proposed by the National Olympic Committees through the Olympic Solidarity programmes. I look forward to our continued, fruitful collaboration throughout this new, exciting quadrennial plan 2005-2008.

The vision of having our sport played in every country in the World is not too far away. This was only possible through a major shift in the ITTF’s priorities and a serious investment in Development.

The ITTF's Development Program saw the light with a pilot project in Oceania proposed by Glenn Tepper and the Oceania TTA. This embryo developed into a basic Development `menu’, conceived by Jordi Serra and myself with the input of George Segun and Chérif Hajem, which was offered to the African TTF and readily accepted. This was the basis of the Development Agreements of Understanding and the Development Policy in its early stages. We have come a long way since then.

Over the last six years, one step at a time, all continents joined the ITTF’s Development Program; Development Officers were hired and put to work to service and coordinate the programme; equipment has been distributed to all corners of the World; coaching courses given; umpires and referees courses delivered; junior training camps staged and development assistance for those in need provided. With these activities and new initiatives, such as the Women’s Programme and Olympic Solidarity junior assistance, the ITTF’s financial commitment to its development programme has also grown from an insignificant amount six years ago to a major budget and expense line item now.

Some ask me why do we send our experts to some remote areas where table tennis is barely alive. Some ask what is the benefit of having kids play on broken makeshift tables in open parks. Some even question the soundness of investing in development activities. The answer is simple. Table tennis must be played in every country in the World. Our sport must be alive everywhere. That is the vision.

The ITTF now boasts two hundred member national associations. This growth is due in great part to the development programme and the seeds that are sewn each time an expert visits, or a camp is held, or an initiative is implemented. But I must say that for me, the most rewarding feeling and the announcement that justified all the hard work, is the International Olympic Committee's Report stating that Table Tennis was the sport with the second most Olympic Solidarity courses delivered in the past quadrennial. Bravo ITTF! Bravo Glenn Tepper and all your team.

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GOALS PHOTO BY TAMASU BUTTERFLY

Aims ......To provide the skills and pathways for all continental, regional and national member associations, to satisfy their own development needs. ......To impart, through educational strategies, the required knowledge to developing associations in order to ensure the long-term sustainable development of our sport. ......To assist in achieving worldwide mass participation. ......To improve the technical level of our athletes, coaches and match officials. ......To improve the quality of human resources needed to better market, administer and showcase table tennis. ......To provide multi-skilled Continental Development Officers in the developing regions to facilitate co-ordination of all aspects of development. ......To actively educate member associations on, and create links with, the IOC's Olympic Solidarity Program, to further assist Continental Federations and National Associations in their own Development Programs.

Glenn Tepper ITTF Development Manager Expanding the ITTF Development Program from four to five courses per year worldwide prior to 1999, to providing approximately one hundred courses annually, with equipment assistance to thirty countries each year, across all six continents, has been an exciting process.

As the first Continental Development Officer on a pilot project in Oceania in 1999, a great deal has been learnt on the journey to where we are now.

The ITTF Development Program is now active in every continent and has a base of Coach Education, Training Camps, Equipment Assistance and Women's Courses aiming at leaving the maximum possible legacy by using multi-skilled Development Officers and Course Conductors.

As a Physical Education Teacher in an `alternative’ high school for problem children in Australia in the 1980s, I saw the great benefit sport had on changing people’s lives. In this context, the ITTF is now embarking on many humanitarian projects under the banner `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls’ including `Tsunami Rebuilding’, `Afghanistan Project’ and `Ishraq-safe places for girls to learn, play and grow’ in rural Egypt, which aims not only to popularise table tennis but to make a difference to the lives of the participants. The addition of the ITTF Global Junior Program has provided another stepping stone in the ITTF Developmental Pyramid, with close links established with the ITTF Development Program.

The introduction of the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual, available in English, French and Spanish and the ITTF Coach Accreditation System has had a big impact on Coach Education, particularly in countries without an existing structure. With each year there is a new step forward.

ITTF will open two World Academies in the near future, which will be another step forward in the development of table tennis worldwide.

......To increase the participation of women at all levels and to improve the technical level of women competitors. ......To provide the youth with a structured pathway for development through to Olympic level. ......To provide equipment to developing associations and to organisers of major events in developing associations.

Vision ......The ITTF is constantly striving to provide more sequential development pathways to progress our sport. ......The ITTF has established, in co-operation with the Continental Federations, the concept of Development Officers to ensure pathways exist for the continuity and stability of development efforts of the ITTF around the world. ......Continents are moving towards achieving equality in the areas of athletes, coaching and official development as well as in their organisational and competitive structures. ......Women are on their way to achieving parity with their male counterparts in as far as training and competition opportunities are concerned, as well as occupying major administrative and coaching positions within their associations and the various international table tennis structures. ......Table tennis is played worldwide with a steady increase in numbers.

Staff Jordi Serra ITTF Executive Director, responsible for development 1999-2000 Glenn Tepper Oceania Development Officer, 1999-2001 & ITTF Development Manager 2001 onwards Babatunde Obisanaya Africa Development Officer, 2001-2002 Evelio Alvarez Latin America Development Officer, 2002 onwards Zita Pidl Europe Development Officer 2002 onwards Roman Plese ITTF Development Officer, 2003-2004 Steve Dainton Oceania Development Officer-2003-2005 Surendra Suwal Oceania Development Officer-2006 onwards

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FACTS & FIGURES

OVERVIEW The ITTF Development Program commenced in 1999 with a pilot project in Oceania.

The program quickly expanded and by 2002 all continents had a negotiated `Agreement of Understanding’ with the ITTF. The agreements included the appointment of Continental Development Officers, Coach Education, Training Camps and Equipment Assistance as the base whilst also aiming at leaving a lasting legacy. Following the introduction of the ITTF Global Junior Program closer links between these two programs have and are being progressively established.

The ITTF Development Program has five staff members: the ITTF Development Manager, Glenn Tepper, who co-ordinates all aspects of the ITTF Development Program, liasing with the Global Junior Program and conducting some courses plus Continental Development Officers for Asia, Europe, Latin America and Oceania.

Continental Development Officers co-ordinate the Continental Programs in conjunction with the ITTF Development Manager, whilst also conducting courses; approximately fifty part-time coaches are used annually in addition to the five full-time staff.”.

Agreements now follow the Olympic cycle; the previous `Agreement’ having been for 2004-2005 when the ITTF conducted almost one hundred courses and provided equipment assistance to over thirty countries worldwide annually.

ITTF Membership The ITTF Development Program has been the main source of new ITTF memberships, by providing a course, assisting with setting up the National Federation and completing all requirements of membership.

New members since 1999 include: Africa: Central Africa, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Niger, Djibouti Asia: East Timor, Afghanistan Europe: Andorra, Monaco, Kosovo, Montenegro Latin America: Haiti, St Kitts & Nevis Oceania: Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands ITTF membership now numbers two hundred and two with Myanmar being the most recent addition, they joined in 2006.

Humanitarian In addition to promoting table tennis the ITTF has been able to expand into humanitarian projects with the banner `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls’.

In war torn countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Rwanda, Somalia and the Solomon Islands, the ITTF Development Program has provided opportunities that otherwise would not have existed. Similarly more opportunities for women to play table tennis have been created by the `Ishraq Program’ whilst the `Tsunami Rebuilding Program’ offered a comprehensive package of courses, equipment assistance and building with a special `ITTF Solidarity Fund’ being established to guarantee a minimum amount of funding for similar projects in the future.

Goal The aim of the ITTF Development Program is to provide the continental and national table tennis associations with the skills to develop our sport in their own territory in a sustainable, structured, progressive and professional manner.

The ITTF also provides resources to developing nations and regions in the form of Development Officers and equipment assistance. The aim is to give all nations the opportunity to progress to the highest possible levels by linking ITTF Programs at international, continental and national level with Olympic Solidarity, Continental and National Olympic Committees, and government departments for the common goal of increasing mass participation and providing pathways to Olympic Games level.

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ITTF Development Program 1999-2005 Continental Agreements: ......1999: Oceania ......2000: Africa, Oceania ......2001: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Oceania ......2002-2003: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Oceania ......2004-2005: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Oceania ......2006-2008: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Oceania ......2009-2012: Next agreement

Full-Time Staff Currently there are five full time members of staff Glenn Tepper (AUS) ITTF Development Manager Afshin Badiee (IRI) Asia Development Officer Zita Pidl (HUN) Europe Development Officer Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Latin America Development Officer Steve Dainton (AUS) Oceania Development Officer Note: From 2006 Surendra Suwal (NEP) is the Oceania Development Officer. Steve Dainton now works for the ITTF and TMS International being the Director of the ITTF Asia Office in Shanghai.

Record Year More than five hundred courses have been staged worldwide and 2005 was a record year. One hundred ITTF Development Program Courses were conducted, using fifty different course conductors.

Donations More than three hundred and twenty equipment assistance donations

Roll of Honour 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

9.

9.

Roman Plese (HRV).................... 64 courses Glenn Tepper (AUS)................... 44 courses Evelio Alvarez (CUB).................. 42 courses Steve Dainton (AUS).................. 41 courses Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL)............ 26 courses Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)............ 17 courses Mikael Andersson (SWE)........... 15 courses Marles Martins (BRA)................. 13 courses Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY).............. 11 courses Jan Berner (SWE)....................... 11 courses Hubert Hustache (FRA)............. 11 courses

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Glenn Tepper, the mastermind behind the ITTF Development Program, in Egypt in 2003 with village leaders who gave their support to the Ishraq Programme PHOTO BY EGYPT TTA

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THE CONCEPT

The ITTF Development Program was inspired by the Oceania Table Tennis Federation Development Plan (1996-2000), a programme for competitions, schools and coaching designed by Glenn Tepper who, at the time, was the National Coaching Director for Table Tennis Australia & Development Officer for the Oceania Table Tennis Federation)

Oceania Table Tennis Federation Development Plan (1996-2000) INTRODUCTION Aims: To provide a structure to enable all people in table tennis in the Oceania Region to realise their full potential, to raise the profile and extend the membership of table tennis within the Oceania Region.

Philosophy: To create, promote and publicise a co-ordinated programme of International

Competitions in the Oceania Region and encourage member associations to participate in World Title events & World Championships.

Plan: 1996 to 2000 calendar to include all member associations’ open championships and schools championships ......To include also the South Pacific Games,

international events, Asian Championships, Olympic Games, World Championships, Oceania Championships 1998-2000, Micronesia Games (Guam 1999), Federated States of Micronesia Games, World Title events, Global Youth Championships, Qualifying tournaments for Olympic and World Title events

......To popularise table tennis ......To create a policy that is compatible with the diverse school systems and cultures within the Oceania Federation ......To host seminars at Oceania Championships

......To organise visits and promote Olympic Solidarity Courses ......To organise an Oceania Schools Championships ......To encourage teachers and personnel to develop these schemes.

lished annually. ......Newsletter every six months for good information flow. ......Formal meetings of coaches at International events. ......Coaches educated on how to organise courses effectively. ......Olympic Solidarity Courses, ......Development Officer Visits and Oceania Championships used for the purpose of coach education. ......Educate Physical Education teachers. ......Develop junior squads of players at club, regional and national level.

......Annual one week Oceania Training Camp organised ideally in conjunction with Oceania Championships. ......Member associations to be invited to Australian and New Zealand Elite Squads and Junior Training Camps ......Olympic Solidarity Courses for the training of tutors. ......Development Officer to visit each Association annually. ......Director of Coaching for each member association. ......An overall Director of Coaching to be appointed for Oceania.

Plan: Two levels of umpires. ......Oceania Umpire (OTTF): all member associations to host course every year. ......International Umpire (ITTF): trained at Oceania Courses.

......All umpire training to have ITTF approval. ......Each member association to elect an Umpire Convener. ......Develop an accreditation base for all umpires.

both the vision and management skills required to maintain an administrative structure that meets the needs of Oceania.

Plan: Continually review the rules and consti-

tution so that development plans and administration progresses. ......Analyse administrator programmes in Australia and New Zealand in order to develop a co-ordinated approach.

member association. ......Seek assistance for supply of tables from ITTF. ......In countries where equipment is not readily available contact manufacturers or agents

in adjacent countries. ......Establish contacts in all Oceania member associations so that items of equipment can be purchased either ex-stock or alternatively by mail order.

players in member associations who have a development infrastructure. ......Encourage teams visiting from outside the region to compare against as many member

associations as possible. ......To encourage girls and raise the standard by organising an Oceania Girls Camp in liaison with the ITTF.

SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT Objective: To create an integrated schools policy incorporating regional competitions, skills training and general promotion.

Plan: To devise a strategy and programme to develop school based table tennis;

COACHING Objective: To create an integrated coaching structure that incorporates coach education and player development at club, national and international levels, providing resources for coach education and creating a nucleus of tutors who can provide coach education.

Plan: All coach education should have a sports science input. ......Three levels of coaching awards to be created. Level One: Club Coaching, Teachers, Parents. Level Two: National Coaches Level Three: International Coaches. ...... Develop an accreditation system, pub-

UMPIRING Objective: To create an integrated umpiring structure that incorporates the following: aspects: umpire education, participation and development at club, national and international levels.

ADMINISTRATION Objective: To identify administration as the foundation upon which all objectives will ultimately rest and to develop an administrator development plan which will incorporate a training programme to provide officials with

EQUIPMENT Objective: To ensure that adequate standards of equipment are available in each of the member associations.

Plan: Check current supply in each Oceania

PROMOTION Objective: To maximise and encourage promotional opportunities whether internally or externally generated.

Plan: Promote further with squads of top

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The International Table Tennis Federation Development Program 2004-2005

ITTF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

MISSION STATEMENT

1. POPULARITY 2. PARTICIPATION 3. PROFIT 4. PLANNING

WORLD INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2007

LEVEL THREE High Performance Coaching Courses

Coaching Scholarships

Sports Science Sports Specific

ITTF PRO TOUR WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS WORLD JUNIOR CIRCUIT

WORLD CADET CHALLENGE

LEVEL TWO

High Performance Coaching Courses

Olympic Solidarity Regional Courses Youth Development Program

Training for Elite Youth International Training Centre International Training Camps

ITTF Junior Program World Junior Championships ITTF World Junior Circuit World Cadet Challenge High Performance / Matching Stars

WORLD UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS WORLD SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS CONTINENTAL & REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

International Umpire/Referee Courses Course Conductor Training

National Umpire/Referee Courses Course Conductor Training

s inar Sem ing rket /Ma rses Cou ion trat inis Adm

Den g Ya ping Prog ram for Wo men - Tra inin g Ca mps , Se min ars, Wo men in

Spo rt P rom otio ns

International Training Centres

WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS 2006

LS ICIA OFF TCH / MA ALS FICI / OF

COA CHIN G/A THL ETE DEV ELO PME NT

OLYMPIC GAMES 2008

CES OUR RES AN HUM

ITTF P4 PLAN

“The ITTF actively promotes table tennis worldwide by creating a structured, sequential and progressive pyramid development structure for athletes, coaches, administrators and match officials from beginner level to Olympic Games.”

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Referee Apprenticeship Program

ITTF Development Projects Coach Education / Training Camps / Development Plans

NATIONAL LEAGUES

Media Apprenticeship Program

Equipment Assistance to Developing Nations Olympic Solidarity National Technical Courses / Youth Development Programs Talent Identification

CLUB COMPETITIONS

Local Umpire/Referee Courses

LEVEL ONE

Continental Development Officers

Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls

SCHOOLS COMPETITIONS

COMPETITION STRUCTURE 2006 Development Program 9

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AFRICA

“No African Association can say they have not received an ITTF/ATTF Course or Equipment Assistance between 2000 and 2006” Chérif Hajem (ITTF Continental Vice President Africa)

PHOTO BY TAMASU BUTTERFLY

Reem El-Shoubary of Egypt, ITTF Scholarship holder PHOTO BY CARLOS ALONZO

The African Development Program conducts more Coach Education Courses, provides more equipment assistance and has the highest completion rate of all continents.

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Benin

Africa Benin

Angola Botswana

PHOTO BY BENIN TTA

if completed, will have accommodation for forty players and ten coaches; it will have sufficient space to host competitions using ten tables, whilst also having changing rooms, a canteen, a library, a fitness area and even a shop from which sports equipment can be purchased.

The problem is one of cost and in the current economic climate fulfilling the task may be a problem; however, as they say "Where there's a will there's a way".

So perhaps with everyone's co-operation the difficulties which face Angola can be overcome and those players who showed so much promise on the course will have the opportunity to realise their potential

Africa A donation of two thousand table tennis rackets was made by the ITTF to the African Table Tennis Federation at the Dawei 45th World Championships in Eindhoven.

The African Table Tennis Federation distributed the rackets to the associations of: Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Uganda, Kenya, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Congo, Namibia, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo and Sudan.

Meanwhile, in 2005, Africa completed all the ITTF Development Courses with three months to spare. A continent which has major obstacles to overcome, particularly regarding communications, clearly benefited from early planning, patience and a great deal of hard work.

Africa was also the first continent to finalise their 2006-2008 Continental Development Agreement with the ITTF, with Cherif Hajem, President of the African Table Tennis Federation, maintaining an open and fair distribution of courses and equipment assistance across the English, French, Arabic and Portugese speaking member countries.

In 2005 Africa showed some of the more developed continents what can be achieved.

In 2001, Botswana under the enthusiastic leadership of the table tennis association’s president, Monthusi Dithole, showed developing countries what could be achieved with enthusiasm, hard work and a little guidance.

Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Lesotho and Namibia participated in team and individual events from 13th to 17th July 2001 with four of the five remaining countries in the region indicating interest to participate in the future.

South Africa scooped the pool but the spirit of co-operation and sportsmanship ensured a very positive experience for all.

Under the ITTF Development Program, Botswana has received equipment assistance and in 2001 an ITTF Development Program Course was led by Glenn Tepper.

Over sixty participants attended the course which comprised teachers, national team members plus sport and recreation development officers from all regions of Botswana. In addition a major schools’ tournament and national team training sessions were held.

Miguel Vicens conducted a ten day coaching course in Cotonu, Benin from 18-28 July 2000.

The course covered a wide range of topics and involved both practical and theory work for the twenty members present.

A shortage of equipment: tables, balls, rackets, clothing for table tennis was the main problem. Importing goods is expensive and thus the development and expansion of the sport was somewhat limited.

Five years later, Togo coach, Kaka Lawson spent two months in Benin leading an Olympic Solidarity Course `Developing a National Sports Structure'.

The Benin TTF, Benin NOC, ITTF and Kaka Lawson had all been liaising for many months in preparation to ensure the maximum possible legacy for Benin. The principal aim was to spread table tennis beyond the capital, with courses being held in Bohicon and Parakou.

Physical Education teachers were targeted in these areas and comprised eighty per cent of the participants; thus they could help build a strong base for future development in the schools.

Fun introductory games, stroke development, and organising a tournament for maximum participation were some of the areas covered on the ITTF Level One Coaching Course.

PHOTO BY BOTSWANA TTA

PHOTO BY ANGOLA TTA

Botswana in 2004 PHOTO BY BENIN TTA

Abilio Cruz conducted a successful course for both players and coaches in Luanda, the capital of Angola, from 31st July to 8th August 2005.

The course was part of the ITTF Development Program and Abilio Cruz was most impressed with the enthusiastic attitude of the participants. Undoubtedly the country has players who, given the opportunity, have the potential to compete on the international stage.

The Angolan Table Tennis Federation, working in liaison with the government, Olympic Solidarity and the International Table Tennis Federation aims to complete the refurbishment of a gymnasium in Luanda that can act as a National Training Centre. The venue,

Kaka Lawson leads a theory session in Benin

PHOTO BY BOTSWANA TTA

Botswana

Benin

Angola

An attentive group in Angola

Botswana in 2001

Three years later Roman Plese conducted a course in Gaboronne, the capital, from 31st July to 7th August 2004.

Forty-four coaches and four players attended with Botswana recently having received a shipment of table tennis tables.

The result was that enthusiasm for the sport of table tennis was very high and the new equipment was most certainly welcomed by the eager members of the course, who were very keen to put theory into practice.

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AFRICA

Cameroon Djibouti

PHOTO BY CAMEROON TTF

The group in Cameroon 2005

Cameroon In 2005 Manasse Batix of France visited Cameroon to conduct an Olympic Solidarity Course; as always in Africa the course was well received by an enthusiastic group of students.

Congo Phusit Mudta-ngam of Thailand conducted a coaching course in Brazzaville in 2002 where he met the irrepressible Henri Djombo.

President of the Table Tennis Federation of Congo and President of the Central African Table Tennis Federation, Henri Djombo has six tables in his home on which he encourages children to play every day and in 2002 his efforts were bearing fruit. Two of his players, Chris Nzoli and Steve Yogo, both ten years old at the time, won silver and bronze medals respectively in the Cadet Boys' Singles event at the 7th Central African Championships and went one better in the Cadet Boys’ Doubles by claiming gold.

Meanwhile, Congo was very fortunate to have the French legend Jacques Secretin lead their Coach Education Course in Brazzaville in 2005 prior to the African Club Championships and Africa Singles Cup for which the ITTF provided the equipment.

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Djibouti Djibouti joined the ranks of the ITTF soon after completeing its first ever ITTF Development Program course in February 2005.

The major reason why the Coach Education and Junior Training course went ahead, before membership had been ratified at the Annual General Meeting in April 2005 in Shanghai, was due to the boundless enthusiasm of the Djibouti Table Tennis Association’s Vice President, Farah Hassan. He is the man behind the upsurge in interest in table tennis in Djibouti and he has gained the confidence of the sport’s international community.

He was in almost daily contact with the ITTF in the preceding months to ensure the success of the course which was led by Batix Manasse, formerly of Cameroon and an experienced player and coach in France.

Twenty-seven coaches attended with coach education taking place from 07.30 to 13.00; each day training for players aged twelve to fourteen was held from 17.00 to 19.00.

At the end of the course, certificates were distributed accordingly to the course members in the presence of General Director and Advisors of the Ministry of Sports, the President of CNO, a French Cooperation Mission representative, a representative from the Ministry of Education and the heads of High Schools and other national government officials.

The course proved an outstanding success and for Farah Hassan, he was able to look back with pride at a programme that set new standards in Djibouti.

Ethiopia PHOTO BY CONGO TTF

The irrepresible Henri Djombo

Congo Ethiopia

Scotland’s David Fairholm conducted an Olympic Solidarity Course at the National Sports Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2003. Thirty-one potential coaches attended the ten day course.

Meanwhile in May 2005 Sweden’s Jan Berner was the coach on duty in Ethiopia leading a week long course funded by the ITTF through the ITTF/ATTF Development Programme.

The first item on the agenda for the much travelled coach after arriving in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, was a good night’s sleep; that duly accomplished, the course started in earnest the following day with twenty-three coaches from throughout the country present, thanks to the efforts of course co-ordinator, Haileeyesus Asfaw.

Practical sessions were held each day from 09.30 to 12.00 with theory sessions being conducted from 14.00 to 16.30. The

PHOTO BY JAN BERNER

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In Ethiopia better equipment is a priority

main aim of the course was to concentrate on technical skills and practices that can be used to help perfect those skills. Also, the importance of physical fitness was discussed but it became quite clear to Jan Berner that in this aspect of sport the Ethiopians excelled. They would happily play table tennis from dawn to dusk without ever complaining of fatigue.

Furthermore, Jan Berner was impressed with the standard of play that he witnessed. “Many play quite well, they won bronze medals at the African Championships in Mauritius last year which underlines their potential”, he said.

Jan Berner believes there are some two hundred players in the country who play quite proficiently but progress is hampered by the poor quality of the rackets they use.

“I knew this would be the case from previous courses I've run”, said Berner. In the past Jan-Ove Waldner, Jörgen Persson and Peter Karlsson have been very generous by donating bat rubber to young African players and following their example the new European champions, Denmark, gave him bat rubbers they had used in Shanghai.

“Also, Matilda Ekholm of Sweden has been very generous, as have the Norwegian junior boys Eric Berner, Martin Roste and Kristoffer Hellerud who gave rubbers”, continued Berner. “Last but by no means least Stiga helped enormously, they gave thirty blades to Ethiopia; my thanks on behalf of all the African coaches and players for their generosity.”

The problem has also been recognised by the ITTF with a package of six tables, six nets and scorers plus eighty rackets and eight gross of balls, all provided by Stag, being sent to Ethiopia.

In addition to educating the coaches Jan Berner spent time with the Ethiopian national team and found them very responsive to his efforts, all the players clearly enjoying playing table tennis.

“Happiness and enthusiasm were the key words”, said Berner. “They have a

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PHOTO BY JVORY COAST TTF

Guinea Ivory Coast

great deal to learn but everyone was open minded and willing to consider new ideas.”

It was a rewarding nine days for Jan Berner who had also been given the opportunity by his hosts to see everyday life in Addis Ababa whilst enjoying eating at local restaurants plus being entertained by traditional African dancers and the national music star Teddy Afro.

A splendid spirit in Ethiopia and one that made Jan Berner's stay most enjoyable; let’s hope that soon we see them competing more on the international scene.

Guinea A one week coaching seminar in November 2004 was attended by some thirty coaches, players and sport teachers, coming not only from Conakry where the course was staged but also from the whole country; in fact, there was even one coach from Ghana!

Two sessions were organised each day with the morning being devoted to helping the very eager course participants enhance their knowledge whilst in the afternoon Sylvain Chermette often met with officials from the Government, the Guinea Table Tennis Federation and the `Comité National Olympique et Sportif'. The result was that he was able to establish close co-operation

Jan Berner with his new found friends in the Ivory Coast

between all concerned and the sport can now look forward to being promoted in a positive fashion in the country.

In 2007 they will host the African Junior Championships and this will be a big step forward. “One of the biggest problems facing Guinea Conakry is the lack of equipment, with most players unable to afford equipment” said Sylvain Chermette.

Therefore, realising the problem, Sylvain brought with him rubbers,rackets and balls donated by the French Table Tennis Federation which were much appreciated, whilst the ITTF provided a large package of six tables, nets, scorers, eighty rackets and eight gross of balls.

Ivory Coast PHOTO BY GUINEA TTF

Sylvain Chermette with young Guinea players

Jan Berner arrived at Abidjan airport, Ivory Coast, in the evening of 25th August 2003; he had no idea what to expect, he didn’t know the country nor the expertise of the table tennis players.

At the airport he was greeted by the VIP’s of local table tennis; he started to speak in English but was soon met with the request “en français s’il vous plaît”; so the French he had learned in school came in useful and using arms and legs as visual aids made himself understood.

The first day was a visit to Abidjan city where everywhere he heard the word `Toubabo’; not understanding the expression, he asked the meaning; white man came the reply so henceforth he was `Toubabo’.

Abidjan has grown tenfold in the last decade with a population of almost six million; after darkness there is relatively strict military control. Jan and his colleagues were stopped several times for identity checks, with the military police often ask-

ing for a small amount of money to buy some beer. A request that met with a firm response from Jan Berner: “No way!”

Organisation was the first priority; there were twenty players, four tables and fifteen enthusiastic coaches. The playing level was encouraging, especially amongst the youngest participants. “It was a gold mine for a table tennis coach,” said Jan. “They asked me if I could take four of them back to Sweden; an interesting idea but I'm not so sure if they will be happy in our cold Scandinavian climate.”

Technically the backhand and forehand strokes were quite promising but the knowledge of tactics, placement, spin and speed were lacking. Furthermore, the understanding of receiving service was weak; as Jan explained: “Even my old services from early 1980s were very successful here, the reverse serve was totally new but they quickly learnt the techniques necessary and the younger players were soon very adept'.

The youngest participants were always present; when they were not playing they were climbing trees, running, walking on their hands, playing soccer, always busy. `Maybe European youngsters should copy them and not sit in front of a computer all the day', added Jan. One afternoon Jan showed them a video of the classic men’s match from the World Championships in Malaysia, Sweden versus China. About fifty people watched and all were very enthusiastic; they danced, screamed, laughed and generally had a really good time. They had never seen table tennis like it.

After eight days he had to leave his new African friends; they had learned from his visit and he didn’t leave empty handed; he had a new name `Toubabo’.

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AFRICA

Lesotho Libya Malawi 2005 PHOTO BY LESOTHO TTA PHOTO BY LESOTHO TTF

Libya Jan Berner concluded a course in Tripoli in May 2003 attended by ten coaches from Libya and the country’s best young players for a period of three hours per day.

“I had no idea what to expect when I arrived, Libya isn’t a country that we hear too much about”, explained Jan Berner.

“Tripoli is a fantastic city and is full of surprises with Italian fashion boutiques quite common.”

Berner was met at the airport by Bakir Fares, the President of the Libyan Table Tennis Federation who with a most enthusiastic coach Mustafa El-Sagar organised a programme that enabled participants to set both short and long term goals.

Mustafa El-Sagar was a player of some note in his own right. He competed in the World Championships in Gothenburg in 1985 and most certainly has ambitious plans for table tennis in Libya in the near future.

A visit to the Libyan Olympic Committee was also arranged where Jan Berner met the physiologist who henceforward will be supervising the testing of players whilst also designing individual programmes.

All ten coaches emerged successful from the course and now have the task of promoting the sport in a country that has three hundred players of whom only five are girls.

Lesotho A well organised training hall but with little equipment was the sight welcoming South African coach Anver Lyners on his arrival Maseru, Lesotho in late September 2002 There were no table tennis surrounds, the windows were blackened out with refuse bags but there was a buzz of enthusiasm amongst the boys and girls in the Roman Catholic Church hall.

Seventy pupils and eight coaches from the six districts of Lesotho (North, West, South East, Central and South West) were present, all eager to advance their table tennis skills and knowledge.

Table tennis is played in school classrooms with a minimum of funds, hardly any balls and only a few rackets. It is quite incredible that the youngsters can play so well. Undoubtedly, the potential exists for table tennis to progress and become a major sport in Lesotho; a goal has been made possible through the hard work of Chabeli Mohatlane and his team of players and coaches.

Chabeli Mohotlane is a qualified orthopaedic surgeon who works with physically disabled table tennis players and has been instrumental in spreading the game and educating sporting officials in table tennis. He is the President of the Lesotho Table Tennis Association and never lets an opportunity to develop table tennis escape his grasp. Chabeli's enthusiasm was fired in 2000 when he was invited to attend an Olympic Solidarity Course in Johannesburg, South Africa; since that time he has attend a three month Olympic

14 Development Program 2006

Solidarity Coaching Scholarship Course in Hungary and has been unstinting in his efforts to promote table tennis in the country surrounded on all sides by South Africa.

Lesotho played in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 and a programme `Smashing AIDS Out’ has been designed and aimed at encouraging young people to play table tennis. The programme endeavours to create an awareness of HIV/AIDS through table tennis whilst also unifying the Basotho nation.

Lesotho may not be world champions but using table tennis as a vehicle for social change is most certainly having a positive effect and is changing young peoples’ lives for the better.

The President of the Lesotho National Olympic Committee, Mrs Matlohang Ramoqopo and the Director of Sport in Lesotho, Mrs.Mamotebang Ntokoane all support Chabeli Mohatlane in his efforts to promote table tennis.

Furthermore, they welcome the efforts being made by the International Table Tennis Federation, the African Table Tennis Federation and the Lesotho Table Tennis Association; the result is that close cooperation has been established and table tennis is being positively promoted in a country that is devoid of the luxuries of sports and leisure centres.

Two years after the visit of Anvers Lyners, Roman Plese led an ITTF/ATTF Development Program Course which eleven coaches and ten players attended with the indefatigable Chabeli Mohatlane being the organiser.

PHOTO BY LIBYA TTF

Anvers Lyners coaching in Lesotho in 2002

Ten coaches attended the course in Libya and the country's best young players trained for three hours each day

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Malawi Mauritius Senegal Mauritius 2003 PHOTO BY TTA MALAWI

Mauritius Jean-Paul Martin of France conducted an Olympic Solidarity course in Mauritius from Saturday 20 September to Saturday 27 September 2003.

Meanwhile, in 2005 Mauritius staged the African Senior Championships and linked to the event was an ITTF Development Program course focusing on Coach Education and Umpire Training.

The coach education began on 10th November led by Glenn Tepper with twenty-five enthusiastic coaches present; the course followed the principles of the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual with the ITTF Umpires Seminar being taken by Nigeria’s Oluranti Lajide, the Referee at the African Championships, and Bernard Perret of France.

Training in Malawi

Malawi

Senegal Africans teaching Africans has always been one of the aims of the ITTF Development Program; not only to educate their coaches but to produce quality Course Conductors.

Therefore, Africa will become more selfsufficient and achieve improved international results.

Such was the aim of the Olympic Solidarity Course in Dakar, Senegal in December 2005 led by Kaka Lawson.

Senegal Table Tennis Federation President Balla Lo, was certainly upbeat after the course. “The efforts of Kaka Lawson were appreciated by the participants and by both the Senegal Table Tennis Federation and the Senegal National Olympic Committee”, he said. “The greatest problem for Senegal table tennis is the lack of coaching at any level; today, we PHOTO BY SENEGAL TTF

Under the leadership of Florianna Massa, Malawi has made great progress since becoming a member of the ITTF in 2003.

The country held Olympic Solidarity courses in 2002 and 2003 as well as an ITTF course and, in September 2005, Malawi embarked on its most ambitious project, `Developing a National Sports Structure'. The course started on 1st September and concluded on 31st October.

The course was directed by Arif Khan.

Three regions were targeted, Mzuzu, Blantyre and Lilongwe with the leading players and coaches from each region gathering in Lilongwe at the end of the course for high performance training sessions.

Within each region, courses focused on leaving the maximum possible legacy and included coach education, a junior training camp, umpire training, tournament organisation and preparing a simple development plan for the future.

A course was held in 2002, to set up the Malawi Table Tennis Association and assist with ITTF/ATTF membership, had a positive effect. Malawi became so motivated, they decided they would send a group of juniors to the African Junior Championships in South Africa.

The fact that they had no money and were relative beginners did not trouble them. After several months of fund raising they had enough funds for ten juniors to sit on a crowded, run down, public bus for forty hours each way, and to squeeze their players into two rooms in the cheapest hotel.

Such hardships could not be seen at the tournament as they were clearly the happiest group there, having photos taken with Africa Champion, Segun Toriola and enjoying the lessons learnt while being comprehensively outclassed.

Solidarity was the major feature of their efforts and they collected a medal; bronze in the Under 15 Girls' Singles, an event with a comparatively low entry in terms of numbers but for Malawi it was a reward. It gave them great cause for optimism and they celebrated by singing most of the forty hour journey home.

think and hope that this problem has a very good solution.” The course was a step in the right direction; a great deal of hard work lies ahead but those who attended in December 2005 were motivated and understood the needs of young people when attending coaching.

Senegal is situated in West Africa.

Dakar, the capital, is one of the important cities in Africa. Table tennis appeared in Senegal in 1946, with French citizens based in Dakar as a result of colonisation. The Senegal Table Tennis Federation was formed in 1968 and the national team has taken part in world and international competitions. Senegal has twice organised the African Championships (1980 and 2003).

Number one player in the country is Mohamed Gueye who represented Africa in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

There are a further six to eight players who are of a good standard but not of Mohamed Gueye’s level and they are in the latter years of their careers. Therefore, the Federation needs to plan for the future and perform basic work with the young girls and boys; this is the principal resolution of the chairman, Balla Lo. The National Federation has four regional leagues, with three hundred and fifty players players but some leagues, like those in Thies and Kaolack, have problems with venues and equipment.

However, there is a new dawn in Senegal. The goal is to introduce table tennis in all schools and villages and to develop table tennis throughout the whole country. The ITTF Level One Course in Dakar provided a very good opportunity to address some of the problems, it provided a foundation, the challenge for Senegal is now to build on that foundation.

Jacques Secretin, one of France’s most celebrated players with a group of students who attended the ITTF Development Project Course in Senegal (27th June-4th July 2005)

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AFRICA

South Africa

Training Session 2000

South Africa 2000 The South African Table Tennis Board was working very hard in 2000 to raise the profile of table tennis in the region. High Performance Courses had been conducted

by Mikael Andersson and Roman Plese, whilst several members attended the ITTF High Performance Coaching Course conducted by Michel Gadal in Cairo, Egypt.

Leading South African players Shane Overmeyer and Wynton Muller had attended an Austrian Junior Training Camp in Linz, an opportunity that was greatly appreciated and had been made possible following the return of South Africa to international sport.

The Olympic Solidarity Course in early November 2000 comprised a Level One and Level Two Coaching Course for twenty coaches held over period of nine days. In addition a National Coaching Accreditation Scheme was completed with two national coaches and four regional coaches qualifying whilst a a national team training camp was organise to help players prepare for the forthcoming African Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

South Africa 2001 A beneficiary of ITTF Development Coaching Projects in August 2001 was the Mangaung and Heidetal Community in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa.

The Mangaung University Community Partnership Project (MUCPP) is a joint venture between the Mangaung Community and Free State University, with overseas and local sponsors, to help promote a positive lifestyle for the poverty stricken area. The South African Table Tennis Board joined the partnership, agreeing to provide equipment as well as coaching and umpiring courses.

Set in the middle of a shanty town on the outskirts of Bloemfontein, where a large number of the houses are still pieces of tin with no electricity, men in overalls sit on the side of the road all day hoping to be picked up by a construction company for a day’s work that will yield about US$5.00.

For the lucky ones this US$5.00 will be carefully spent to provide several meals for their families.

In the midst of this the MUCPP provides hope for the community.

Kagisho Moeca, who provided much of the organisation and administration for the ITTF Course is a well spoken, extremely positive,

PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLENN TEPPER

Young players in Manguang in 2001

Development Officer with the MUCPP who has a Sports Management Degree and would do anything for the children of the area.

He is paid only `sometimes', when funds allow or when there is some funding from overseas. Regional Coach, Samantha Joseph and her team coach long hours without payment, other than the rewards of seeing children making progress in table tennis and as people.

A training camp was held for the elite juniors, who had progressed from never winning medals at national level to bringing home over ten

medals in 2000; the excellent results gained, thanks to the hard work of the MUCPP and the coaches.

A Coaching Clinic for young beginners in the region was also held under the direction of Glenn Tepper. It was for the coach a most rewarding experience. The smiling faces of the children, their excellent attitude, the spirit of sharing the few well worn rackets and the appreciation shown made Glenn feel honoured to be given the opportunity to work in the community.

South Africa 2004 Glenn Tepper returned to South Africa in September 2004 to lead a coach education course.

Twenty-four coaches from across the country including both beginner coaches wanting to complete the ITTF Level One Coaching Course and advanced coaches targeted as ITTF Level One Course Conductors in South Africa were present.

South Africa is always quick to embrace change and look for new ways to move forward.

Undoubtedly, there is progress and the upward trend in the sport has been made possible largely through the leadership of South African Table Tennis Board President, Ganief Fataar and the Secretary-General Hajera Kajee, the latter being the Chef de Mission for the South Africa Team at the Olympic Games in 2004.

The progress being made in South Africa was underlined by the reaction to the newly released ITTF Level One Coaching Manual. Immediately, they placed an order for two hundred Theo Cogill, ITTF Scholarship holder PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

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Participants at the Coach Education Course in Togo in September 2005

Togo In September 2005 as part of the ITTF Development Program, a Coach Education Course was held in Lome, Togo, led by Sylvain Chermette.

Twenty coaches from throughout the country attended and contributed greatly to an excellent environment. All of the coaches were very dedicated to table tennis in Togo and were extremely interested in being provided with optimum information on table tennis to help their young players make better progress. They all wanted table tennis in Togo to become an example for the West African region.

Togo has been shaken by political and social events since the 1990s and more recently in the spring of 2005.

Undoubtedly, this has caused the federation to suffer difficulties owing to a shortage of equipment. However, the leaders of the Togo Table Tennis Federation are motivated and they are prepared to seize the initiative by forging links with countries in both Europe and Asia in addition to co-

operating with neighbouring countries such as Bénin, Ghana or Burkina Faso.

The result is that close co-operation with other associations is being established and table tennis is being promoted in a positive fashion.

Equipment is a problem for Togo and therefore in 2004, the ITTF provided an equipment package of six tables, six nets and post sets, six scorers, eighty rackets and eight gross of balls, as well as twenty ITTF Level One Coaching Manuals for the course.

In addition, Sylvain Chermette brought rubber, rackets and balls that had been donated by the French Table Tennis Federation to add to the large equipment package donated by the ITTF in 2004.

The course was a success and the programme was more than just the necessary requirement to receive the ITTF `Club Coach’ certificate. The seminar was the perfect occasion to answer many questions about teaching young players who showed promise and were on the path towards playing at a high level.

Zimbabwe PHOTO BY ZIMBABWE TTU

further manuals and wanted to know when the training of course conductors could commence.

Potential Course Conductors attended the ITTF Level One Coaching Course as well as additional Course Conductor training.

Two coaches, Clement Meyer and Anver Lyners were classified as ITTF Level One Course Conductor `International’ meaning they can conduct the course anywhere, while six coaches were classified as ITTF Course Conductors `South Africa’ meaning they can conduct the course in South Africa, after they have jointly presented a course with the `International’ Course Conductors.

The `South Africa’ ITTF Level One Course Conductors included thirty-three per cent women; the successful candidates were Margie Luckay, Sameera Maal, Greg Naik, Nigel Adams, Gerrit Coetzer, and Phaldy Batchelor.

It is a very creditable situation with the promotion of table tennis for women and girls being high on the list of priorities for the ITTF Development Program.

Also, equipment assistance was realised. Butterfly donated both development and elite rackets with coaches being asked to nominate recipients who were under the age of eighteen, talented, hard working and from a financially disadvantaged background.

Following the conclusion of the course a National Junior Training Camp was held in Cape Town which included past and present Africa World Cadet Challenge Team members, Theo Cogill, Alicia van Rooyen and Luke Abrahams.

Success at senior level has always been difficult for South Africa being a long distance from Europe and North Africa which have been the strong areas for table tennis over the years.

However, the introduction of the World Cadet Challenge has helped in the development of table tennis in South Africa with ITTF Junior Scholarship holder, Theo Cogill, being the first South African to participate in the tournament when he competed in 2002.

Luke Abrahams and Alicia Von Rooyen followed in 2003, and Alicia together with Darren Rodgers competed in 2004.

The ITTF Development Program and the ITTF Global Junior Programme are inextricably linked and South Africa always looks to maximize the benefits of ITTF funded courses.

In 2004 both the Coach Education course and the National Junior Camp provided elite training for the juniors and gave coaches the education to continue the training. Surely, a winning formula.

PHOTO BY TOGO TTF

Togo Zimbabwe

Roman Plese led an ITTF Development Project Course in Harare, Zimbabwe in May 2004. The course was organised by the national table tennis union’s president, John Menigani and its general secretary, Celso Ribeiro. Eighteen players attended.

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ITTF/ATTF Development Program Courses Country

Date from

Date to

Course

Expert

Algeria

01 Dec 2004

10 Dec 2004

ITTF Development Project

Frederic Lenoir (FRA)

Algeria

18 May 2002

24 May 2002

Olympic Solidarity

Albert Ronqui (FRA)

Algeria

22 Jan 2001

31 Jan 2001

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Angola

02 Aug 2005

08 Aug 2005

ITTF Development Project

Abilio Cruz (ESP)

Angola

01 Jan 2002

31 Dec 2002

Olympic Solidarity DNCS

Ren Yu Ren (CHN)

Angola

22 Nov 2002

30 Nov 2002

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV) Isidro Borges (POR)

Angola

01 Aug 2000

08 Aug 2000

Olympic Solidarity

Benin

08 Aug 2005

05 Oct 2005

Olympic Solidarity

Kaka Lawson (TOG)

Benin

16 Nov 2004

26 Nov 2004

Olympic Solidarity

Albert Ronchi (SUI)

Benin

05 Sep 2002

14 Sep 2002

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Benin

03 Jun 2001

12 Jun 2001

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Benin

18 Jul

29 Jul

2000

Olympic Solidarity

Miguel Vicens (FRA)

Botswana

28 Nov 2005

07 Dec 2005

Olympic Solidarity

Polona Susin (SVN)

Botswana

30 Jul

2004

08 Aug 2004

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Botswana

18 Jul

2001

01 Aug 2001

ITTF Development Project

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

Burkina Faso

10 Oct 2003

18 Oct 2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Burkina Faso

10 Dec 2001

19 Dec 2001

ITTF Development Project

Mohamed Daieb (TUN)

Burundi

10 Dec 2004

20 Dec 2004

ITTF Development Project

Hubert Hustache (FRA)

Burundi

10 Sep 2003

18 Sep 2003

Olympic Solidarity

Roman Plese (HRV)

Burundi

21 Oct 2002

30 Oct 2002

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Burundi

16 Mar 2001

29 Mar 2001

ITTF Development Project

Khaled Mabrouk (TUN)

Cameroon

21 Jul

2005

01 Aug 2005

ITTF Development Project

Batix Manasse (FRA)

Cameroon

15 Feb 2003

23 Feb 2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Cameroon

04 Nov 2001

11 Nov 2001

ITTF Development Project

Jacques Secretin (FRA)

Central Africa

15 Dec 2003

22 Dec 2003

Olympic Solidarity

Jan Berner (SWE)

Central Africa

07 Jul

16 Jul

Olympic Solidarity

Mohamed Daieb (TUN)

Congo

10 Feb 2006

18 Feb 2006

Olympic Solidarity-ITTF Level 1

Batix Manasse (FRA)

Congo

15 Jan 2005

19 Jan 2005

ITTF Development Project

Jacques Secretin (FRA)

Congo

20 Apr 2003

27 Apr 2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Congo DR

25 Apr 2005

02 May 2005

ITTF Women's Course

Maria Isabel Vera Moyoli Häfeli (SUI)

Congo DR

12 Apr 2003

19 Apr 2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Congo DR

01 Jun 2002

30 Sep 2002

Olympic Solidarity DNCS

Adeleko Ogunnowo (NIG)

Congo DR

06 Jul

Olympic Solidarity

Andrez Jokubowicz (FRA)

Côte D’Ivoire

25 Aug 2003

01 Sep 2003

ITTF Development Project

Jan Berner (SWE)

Côte D’Ivoire

11 Nov 2001

18 Nov 2001

ITTF Development Project

Marcel Desjardins (FRA)

Côte D’Ivoire

01 Oct 1999

10 Oct 1999

Olympic Solidarity

Yves Regneir (FRA)

Djibouti

10 Feb 2005

17 Feb 2005

ITTF Development Project

Batix Manasse (FRA)

Egypt

15 Jul

2004

ITTF Junior Training Camp

Nikolai Novikov (RUS)

Egypt

27 Jan 2003

31 Jan 2003

WJC Junior Training Camp

Nikolai Novikov (RUS)

Egypt

16 Mar 2003

24 Mar 2003

ITTF Development Project

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

2000

2000

2000

2004

13 Jul

22 Jul

2000

2000

Egypt

04 Jun 2001

09 Jun 2001

High Performance Coaching Course

Mikael Andersson (SWE)

Ethiopia

12 May 2005

19 May 2005

ITTF Development Project

Jan Berner (SWE)

Ethiopia

11 Jan 2003

16 Jan 2003

ITTF Women's Course

Åsa Svensson (SWE)

Ethiopia

13 Apr 2003

22 Apr 2003

Olympic Solidarity

David Fairholm (ENG)

Ethiopia

08 Nov 2000

15 Nov 2000

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV) Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Ethiopia

23 Sep 1999

08 Oct 1999

Olympic Solidarity

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Gabon

22 Mar 2005

29 Mar 2005

ITTF Development Project

Jacques Secretin (FRA)

Gabon

01 Apr 2003

08 Apr 2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Gambia

03 Feb 2004

12 Feb 2004

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Gambia

01 Aug 2003

10 Aug 2003

Olympic Solidarity

Roman Plese (HRV)

Ghana

24 Mar 2004

28 Mar 2004

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Ghana

21 Sep 2002

30 Sep 2002

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Ghana

18 Feb 2001

28 Feb 2001

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Ghana

02 Apr 2000

15 Apr 2000

Olympic Solidarity

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Guinea

12 Nov 2004

19 Nov 2004

ITTF Development Project

Sylvain Chermette (FRA)

Guinea

15 Oct 2002

23 Oct 2002

Olympic Solidarity

Jacques Secretin (FRA)

Kenya

18 Oct 2004

22 Oct 2004

ITTF Women's Course

Branka Batinic (HRV)

Kenya

18 Aug 2002

28 Aug 2002

ITTF Development Project

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

Kenya

19 May 2001

30 May 2001

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Lesotho

07 Aug 2004

15 Aug 2004

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Lesotho

30 Sep 2002

06 Oct 2002

ITTF Development Project

Anver Lyners (RSA)

Liberia

11 Jan 2006

18 Jan 2006

Olympic Solidarity

Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY)

Liberia

17 Feb 2004

26 Feb 2004

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Libya

05 May 2003

13 May 2003

ITTF Development Project

Jan Berner (SWE)

Libya

18 Dec 2003

29 Dec 2003

Olympic Solidarity

Hubert Hustache (FRA)

Libya

15 Oct 2001

28 Oct 2001

ITTF Development Project

Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY)

Madagascar

04 Jan 2004

14 Jan 2004

Olympic Solidarity

Roman Plese (HRV)

Madagascar Madagascar

11 Aug 2003 05 Nov 2002

20 Aug 2003 10 Nov 2002

ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV) Roman Plese (HRV)

18 Development Program 2006

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ITTF/ATTF Development Program Courses Country

Date from

Date to

Course

Expert

Madagascar

02 Dec 2001

13 Dec 2001

ITTF Development Project

Carole Seve (FRA)

Madagascar

16 May 1999

21 May 1999

Olympic Solidarity

Phillipe Kermarrec (FRA)

Malawi

01 Sep 2005

31 Oct 2005

Olympic Solidarity

Arif Khan (PAK)

Malawi

17 Jul

Malawi

07 Nov 2003

Malawi

07 Aug 2002

16 Aug 2002

Olympic Solidarity

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

Mauritania

26 Jun 2002

03 Jul

Olympic Solidarity

Mohamed Daieb (TUN)

Mauritania

10 Oct 2000

20 Oct 2000

Olympic Solidarity

Yves Regnier (FRA)

Mauritius

12 Nov 2004

16 Nov 2004

ITTF Development Project

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

Mauritius

20 Sep 2003

27 Sep 2003

Olympic Solidarity

Jean-Paul Martin (FRA)

Mauritius

10 Nov 2002

15 Nov 2002

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Mauritius

31 May 2001

08 Jun 2001

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Morocco

20 Mar 2005

24 Mar 2005

ITTF Development Project

Philippe Molodzoff (FRA)

Morocco

22 Mar 2005

24 Mar 2005

WJC Junior Training Camp

Philippe Molodzoff (FRA)

Morocco

07 Jun 2004

14 Jun 2004

Olympic Solidarity

Isabelle Thibaud (FRA)

Morocco

04 Feb 2003

10 Feb 2003

Development Project-Umpires

Bernard Barbier (FRA)

Niger

24 Jun 2005

05 Jul

ITTF Development Project-Umpires

Jacky Simon (FRA)

Niger

24 Mar 2003

31 Mar 2003

ITTF Development Project

Flourent Le Boucher (FRA)

Niger

24 Mar 2003

31 Mar 2003

Development Project-Umpires

Jacky Simon (FRA)

Nigeria

29 Sep 2003

03 Oct 2003

ITTF Referees Course

Colin Clement (ENG) Reto Bazzi (SUI)

Nigeria

21 Aug 2002

31 Aug 2002

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Nigeria

01 Jul

14 Jul

2001

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Nigeria

26 Mar 2000

21 Mar 2000

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Rwanda

22 Jan 2004

31 Jan 2004

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Rwanda

22 Jul

2002

31 Jul

2002

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Senegal

27 Jun 2005

04 Jul

2005

ITTF Development Project

Jacques Secretin (FRA)

Senegal

26 Nov 2005

03 Dec 2005

Olympic Solidarity

Kaka Lawson (TOG)

Senegal

16 Jun 2003

24 Jun 2003

High Performance Coaching Course

Fernando Correira (FRA)

Senegal

25 Jun 2003

03 Jul

ITTF Umpires Course

Christian Menant (FRA)

2003

2001

24 Jul

2003

16 Nov 2003 2002

2005

2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Olympic Solidarity

Roman Plese (HRV)

Senegal

01 Aug 2001

14 Aug 2001

ITTF Development Project

Douggie Johnson (FRA)

Seychelles

21 Aug 2003

28 Aug 2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Seychelles

15 Nov 2002

20 Nov 2002

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Seychelles

06 Dec 2001

13 Dec 2001

ITTF Development Project

Regis Canor (FRA)

Seychelles

02 Nov 1999

09 Nov 1999

Olympic Solidarity

Yoto Drianovski (BUL)

Sierra Leone

07 Oct 2002

20 Oct 2002

Olympic Solidarity

Roman Plese (HRV)

Somalia

01 May 2005

07 May 2005

ITTF Development Project

Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY)

Somalia

08 May 2005

14 May 2005

ITTF "Tsunami Rebuilding" Project

Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY)

Somalia

12 Mar 2003

19 Mar 2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Somalia

14 Apr 2002

23 Apr 2002

Olympic Solidarity

Roman Plese (HRV)

Somalia

01 Apr 2001

14 Apr 2001

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

South Africa

15 Sep 2004

26 Sep 2004

ITTF Junior Training Camp

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

South Africa

27 Jan 2003

31 Jan 2003

WJC Junior Training Camp-Egypt

Nikolai Novikov (RUS)

South Africa

11 Dec 2002

15 Dec 2002

ITTF Umpires Course

Rodrique Volkwyne (RSA)

South Africa

06 Dec 2002

14 Dec 2002

ITTF Development Project

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

South Africa

01 Aug 2001

14 Aug 2001

ITTF Development Project

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

South Africa

30 Oct 2000

14 Nov 2000

Olympic Solidarity

Glenn Tepper (AUS)

Sudan

12 Mar 2004

20 Mar 2004

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Sudan

25 Nov 2004

01 Dec 2004

Olympic Solidarity

Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY)

Sudan

08 Jan 2002

20 Jan 2002

ITTF Development Project

Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY)

Tanzania

11 Oct 2004

20 Oct 2004

Olympic Solidarity

Jan Berner (SWE)

Tanzania

09 Jul

16 Jul

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Togo

01 Feb 2003

08 Feb 2003

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Togo

23 Sep 2005

30 Sep 2005

ITTF Development Project

Sylvain Chermette (FRA)

Togo

11 Feb 2001

17 Feb 2001

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Tunisia

05 Jul

10 Jul

ITTF Development Project

Michel Gadal (FRA)

Tunisia

05 Sep 2003

15 Sep 2003

Olympic Solidarity

Khaled Mabrouk (TUN) Mohammed Daieb (TUN)

Tunisia

01 Jul

2002

07 Jul

2002

High Performance Coaching Course

Hubert Hustache (FRA)

Tunisia

01 Jul

2002

07 Jul

2002

ITTF Referees Course

Aksell Beckmann (DEN) Reto Bazzi (SUI)

2003

2004

2003

2004

Tunisia

02 Dec 2000

09 Dec 2000

Olympic Solidarity

Bernard Perret (FRA)

Tunisia

26 Jun 2000

01 Jul

2000

Afro-Arab Under 17 Girls Training Camp

Deng Yaping (CHN)

Tunisia

24 Jul

30 Jul

1999

Olympic Solidarity

Patrick Ringel (FRA)

Uganda

05 Feb 2006

15 Feb 2006

ITTF Development Project/ITTF Level 1 & Training Camp

Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY)

1999

Uganda

28 Oct 2003

06 Nov 2003

Olympic Solidarity

Roman Plese (HRV)

Uganda

01 Jul

08 Jul

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Uganda

15 Aug 2001

29 Aug 2001

ITTF Development Project

Babatunde Obisanya (NIG)

Zambia

23 Sep 2003

30 Sep 2003

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

Zambia

23 Nov 2002

02 Dec 2002

Olympic Solidarity

Anver Lyners (RSA)

Zambia

14 Aug 2001

27 Aug 2001

ITTF Development Project

GlennTepper (AUS)

Zimbabwe

08 May 2004

17 May 2004

ITTF Development Project

Roman Plese (HRV)

2003

2003

2006 Development Program 19

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Page 20

ITTF/ATTF Development Program Equipment Assistance Country

Year

Algeria

2003

Event Arab TTU Agreement

Supplier Egypt

Tables

Nets

Surrounds Rackets Balls Gross Scorers Umpire Tables

Algeria

2002

ITTF Agreement

Joola

6

6

100

2

6

Angola

2005

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Angola

2001

ITTF Agreement

Joola

6

6

100

2

6

Angola

1999

ITTF Agreement

Joola

8

8

48

16

ATTF

2005

African Junior Championships Newgy donation

ATTF

2001

African Youth-African Cup

ATTF

2000

Africa Championships

ATTF

1999

African Youth

ATTF

1999

Worlds Championships

ATTF

1999

All Africa Games

Benin

2005

ITTF Agreement

Benin

2001

ITTF Agreement

Botswana

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Botswana

2004

ITTF Agreement

Botswana

2001

Burkina Faso Burkina Faso

5500 1932

Double Happiness

2000

Double Happiness

2000

1400

523 32

2300

32

6

6

80

8

6

6

6

100

2

6

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

ITTF Agreement

Joola

6

6

100

2

6

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

2004

ITTF-FFTT co-operation

FFTT

6

6

80

8

6

Burkina Faso

2000

ITTF Agreement

4

4

Burundi

2004

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Burundi

2001

ITTF Agreement

Joola

6

6

100

2

6

Cameroon

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Cameroon

2004

ITTF-FFTT Co-operation

FFTT

6

6

80

8

6

Cameroon

Stag

2

20 ITTF manuals

ITTF Agreement

4

4

ITTF Agreement

Egypt

6

6

Congo

2005

Africa Club-Africa Singles Cup

Stag

12

12

Congo

2000

ITTF Agreement

4

4

Congo DR

2005

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Congo DR

2002

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

100

2

6

Congo DR

2000

African Cup

Côte D’Ivoire

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF Lab

10

Djibouti

2005

ITTF Agreement

Double Happiness

6

Egypt

2004

Ishraq Project

Tibhar

Egypt

2001

Africa Youth-Africa Cup

Stag

Egypt

1999

International Training Centre

8

2 200

20

100 6

12

80

8

6

2000

50

12

12

200

12

12

10

12

250

10

10

200

15

80

8

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

2005

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

Ethiopia

2000

African Championships

ITTF-China

21

66

4

8

Gabon

2003

ITTF Agreement

Joola (Egypt-tables)

6

6

80

8

6

6

6

80

8

6

20

12

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

ITTF Agreement

Joola (Egypt-tables) Joola

Ghana

2004

African Youth Championships

Ghana

2000

ITTF Agreement

Guinea

2005

ITTF Agreement

Stag

Kenya

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Kenya

2003

ITTF Agreement

Kenya

1999

Lesotho

2004

Lesotho

2003

20 ITTF manuals 200

12 4

6

6

80

8

6

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

African Youth

Joola

8

12

8

8

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

8

6

20 Development Program 2006

8 10 ITTF manuals

12

PHOTO BY BENIN TTF

20 towel boxes

6

4

Benin

20 ITTF manuals

10 ITTF manuals

Ethiopia

2003

26 ITTF manuals

17

Ethiopia

Gambia

12

2

Stag

Gambia

10 ITTF manuals 10 ITTF manuals

2000

ITTF Agreement

20 ITTF manuals 20 ITTF manuals

Central Africa 2003

Equatorial Guinea 2005

Other

6

200

12

10 ITTF manuals

2 40 ITTF manuals 100

10 ITTF manuals

Djibouti

PHOTO BY DJIBOUTI TTA

80

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ITTF/ATTF Development Program Equipment Assistance Country

Year

Liberia

2005

ITTF Agreement

Event

Supplier

Liberia

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Liberia

2003

ITTF Agreement

Joola (Egypt-tables)

Tables

Nets

Surrounds Rackets Balls Gross Scorers Umpire Tables

ITTF

Other 20 ITTF manuals 10 ITTF manuals

6

6

80

8

6 6

Liberia

2001

ITTF Agreement

6

6

100

2

Libya

2002

ITTF Agreement

Joola

6

6

100

2

6

Madagascar

2004

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Malawi

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Malawi

2003

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Malawi

2002

ITTF Agreement

Stag

2

2

100

5

Mauritania

2004

ITTF-FFTT Co-operation

FFTT

6

6

80

8

6

Mauritius

2004

African Senior Championships

ITTF

Equipment equivalent-US$5000

Morocco

2005

African Junior

Butterfly

12

20

12

Morocco

2003

Arab TTU Agreement

Egypt

6

20 ITTF manuals

12

30 ITTF manuals

200

12

6 ITTF manuals

Morocco

2002

ITTF Agreement

Joola

6

6

100

2

6

Namibia

2002

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

100

2

6

Niger

2004

ITTF-FFTT co-operation

FFTT

6

6

80

8

6

Niger

2004

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Nigeria

2003

Africa Games

Joola

12

12

20

12

Nigeria

2001

ITTF Agreement

Tibhar

6

6

100

2

6

Rwanda

2004

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Rwanda

2001

ITTF Agreement

Joola

6

6

100

2

6

Senegal

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Senegal

2003

African Singles Cup

Stag

12

12

100

20

12

Senegal

2003

OlympAfrica

Stag

2

4

100

2

Seychelles

2005

ITTF Agreement

Double Happiness

6

6

80

8

6

Sierra Leone

2003

ITTF Agreement

Joola (Egypt-tables)

6

6

80

8

6

Somalia

2005

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Somalia

2005

Tsunami Rebuilding

Newgy donation

Somalia

2005

Tsunami Rebuilding

Butterfly donation

4

4

20

4

Somalia

2005

Tsunami Rebuilding

Stag donation

125

10

Somalia

2005

Tsunami Rebuilding

Madeira TTA

365 items-clothing

Somalia

2005

Tsunami Rebuilding

Collection Shanghai

25 shirts

Somalia

2001

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

South Africa

2002

African Junior/Singles Cup

Stag

12

12

200

20

12

South Africa

1999

All Africa Games, Olympic Qualification Joola

10

14

140

8

10

200

40 ITTF manuals 200

20 ITTF manuals

100

2

25 t-shirts

6 12 10 ITTF manuals

Sudan

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

2003

Arab TTU Agreement

Egypt

Sudan

2002

ITTF Agreement

Joola

6

6

100

2

Tanzania

2004

China TTA Assistance

China TTA

10

10

100

100

Tanzania

2002

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

100

2

6

Togo

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Togo

2004

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Tunisia

2003

Arab TTU Agreement

Egypt

Tunisia

2002

African Senior Championships Joola

12

12

968

20

12

Uganda

2004

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

Zambia

2005

ITTF Agreement

Double Happiness

6

6

80

8

6

Zambia

2002

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

100

2

6

Zimbabwe

2004

ITTF Agreement

Stag

6

6

80

8

6

PHOTO BY TTA MALAWI

12

1 Robopong

Sudan

Malawi

12

6 6 10 ITTF manuals 20 ITTF manuals 6 200

12

10 ITTF manuals

Senegal

PHOTO BY SENEGAL TTF

2006 Development Program 21

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ASIA

“We need to bring about a high awareness of table tennis in Asia and thereby continually promote table tennis expeditiously. Our Development Program in Asia is sparing no effort to achieve this goal.”

Choo Wee Khiang (ITTF Continental Vice President Asia) PHOTO COURTESY OF CHOO WEE KHIANG

Zeina Shaban of Jordan, gained an ITTF Scholarship and played in the 2004 Olympics PHOTO BY MARIANN DOMONKOS

The Asia Development Program focuses on training camps, coach education and equipment assistance based on the five regions, co-ordinated by the Asia Development Officer.

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Bangladesh Cambodia

“The ITTF Development Program has brought the Asian Associations closer to each other and has brought to life several small developing associations in the continent”

Bhutan Iran

Afshin Badiee (Asian Table Tennis Union Development Officer) PHOTO COURTESY OF AFSHIN BADIEE PHOTO BY BHUTAN TTF

Bangladesh Brazil’s Marles Martins was the expert on duty in late November 2005 to conduct an ITTF/ATTU Level One Coaching Course at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.

Twenty-one coaches from the six administrative regions attended with some of the coaches having to travel more than eight hours by road to reach Dhaka in difficult times. In fact, when the course was about to start, the opposition party organised two major strikes that involved all public transport and the public administration departments.

Understandably, the disruption created great problems for the coaches and the Organising Committee of the Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation.

However, the course was a great success and the coaches were pleased with the new ideas; certainly the result was a great deal of enthusiasm and they returned to their clubs to coach players in a very positive mood.

The course took place at a time when the Bangladesh national team was starting its preparation for the major event for the season, the South Asian Games in India in April 2006. Therefore, all the players were motivated and success would no doubt have a very positive effect on table tennis in Bangladesh.

Some of the national team players attended the ITTF/ATTU Level One Course in order to gain more information about our sport and prepare for the future. Most of them wanted to become table tennis coaches, which is really a very good sign that the situation will change in the near future for the better.

Undoubtedly, with more coaches involved to increase the number of knowledgeable players in the country, we can expect some surprises for the future.

In the Autumn of 2002 Croatia's Roman Plese visited Phnom Penh in Cambodia to conduct a course on the basic techniques of table tennis.

Twenty-four participants attended the successful ten day course.

Iran Phusit Mudta-ngam in Bhutan

Bhutan

`

PHOTO BY BANGLADESH TTA

Marles Martins in Bangladesh

Cambodia

Thailand’s Phusit Mudta-ngam conducted Olympic Solidarity Courses in August 1999 and in July 2001 whilst in 2002 he was in the country from April to December leading a `Developing a National Coaching Structure Course’.

Meanwhile, in July 2004 Sweden’s Emmanuel Christiansson visited Bhutan to teach an Olympic Solidarity Course. The programme was based on the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual and was held in the capital, Thimphu; twenty-two coaches enrolled.

In Bhutan, altitude is a major factor with Thimphu being approximately two thousand metres above sea level and when playing table tennis it makes a difference.

Participants in 2004 included national team players, coaches and schoolteachers; four were women, two national players and two teachers.

Special guest at the course was Inga Eriksson Fogh, the Swedish Ambassador in India who was visiting the King of Bhutan.

She was very impressed with the course and also very pleasantly surprised meeting a Swede in charge.

The course proved most successful and Emmanuel Christiansson saw a bright future for the sport in the country. “Bhutan has a great possibility to build table tennis into a leading sport when you consider the low cost”, he said. “Also, it has strong support from a developing federation with highly educated and hard working people.”

The Secretary General is Prem Rai who is working as a volunteer. He used to play in the national team and has also been national coach. “The national players in Bhutan are very young and if they can have the opportunity to practise in another country, in Asia or Europe they could reach a high level”, added Christiansson. “Such opportunities would give Bhutan players the chance to build up a new strong generation which will take table tennis to a higher level.”

A very worthwhile course and Emmaual Christiansson certainly enjoyed his week in a country often referred to as the Switzerland of Asia.

Roman Plese conducted an ITTF/ATTU High Performance Coaching Course for fortytwo enthusiastic coaches in Tehran in early March 2005 and was most impressed with the new Iran Table Tennis Academy “It must be one of the top three venues of its type in the world”, he said on his return.

The building is a dream come true for Shahrokh Shahnazi, the President of the Table Tennis Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who is also a member of the ITTF Board of Directors, West Asia Regional President and Asian Table Tennis Union Vice President.

“It is a large and incomparable complex built to develop and improve table tennis not only in Iran but also in Middle and West Asia”, said Afshin Badiee, the ATTU Development Officer. “The Academy can hold international and national training camps as well as different table tennis courses.”

A very impressive venue, it consists of four floors of totalling four thousand square metres. The first floor has a restaurant and administration with several offices and meeting rooms. The guest house is on the second floor where more than seventy guests can be accommodated. Two large training halls are located on the third and fourth floors while the hall on the fourth floor is quite suitable for holding middle sizes tournaments also.

The course proved a success and Roman Plese was pleased with the response from those in attendance. “The coaches actively participated in every session”, he said. “They obviously have a strong motivation to succeed; the only aspect holding back Iran is exposure to modern methods of training and international competition.”

However, the country is making progress and no doubt the advice given by Roman Plese is another step forward for a country rapidly improving in the sport of table tennis.

Later in 2005, in November, the Iran Table Tennis Academy was the venue for the Olympic Solidarity Course in Tehran led

by Benone Grigore, with Afshin Badiee, the Development Officer of the Asian Table Tennis Union assisting and Shahrokh Shahnazi, the President of the Table Tennis

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ASIA

Kazakhstan

Jordan Kyrgyzstan

Roman Plese, Saida Kudussova, Azamat Talasbaev - Kyrgyzstan 2005 PHOTO BY TTF KYRGYZ REPUBLIC PHOTO BY TTF IR IRAN

The High Performance Course at the Iran Academy in March 2005

Federation of Iran, organising matters.

Thirty participants, including nine women, met in Tehran; the aim of the course was to standardise the Coach Education system in the country. Most were Course Conductors who had already attended ITTF High Performance Coaching Courses. However, the national association believed it would be beneficial for them to gain more knowledge on basic coaching methods so the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual formed the basis of the course, promoting hours of discussion and debate.

The theory sessions were conducted in the seminar room of the Iran Olympic Academy and practical session were held in the second hall of the Iran Table Tennis Academy.

Benone Grigore who hadbeen the Head Coach of Swedish International Table Tennis Academy for several years was very impressed with the facilities in Iran. “I always thought the Sweden Table Tennis Academy is a colliseum but I have to change my mind after visiting the Iran academy.” he said Strong leadership, good structures, and now a World Class Venue; more players from Iran will surely appear on the world stage in the near future.

Jordan Making a long, tiring journey is often a necessity when involved in sport but for some it can be tortuous and even hazardous.

A willingness to travel great distances to attend courses that are part of the ITTF Development Program happens quite regularly. The enthusiasm for table tennis, the desire to learn are common factors wherever the courses are held and the West Asia Training Camp in Amman, organised jointly by the International Table Tennis Federation and the Asian Table Tennis Union, was no exception.

Traeq Hindieh, a Palestinian business administration student, is to say the least

very enthusiastic when it comes to table tennis and he’s no stranger to training sessions. He has attended courses in the past organised by the International Table Tennis Federation and the Asian Table Tennis Union under the tutelage of Ahmed Dawlatly. He plays for the Helel Club in Jerusalem and travelled five hours to be present in Amman.

However, when compared with the efforts of forty-seven year old Mouayad Hamed and his protégée, thirteen year old national cadet champion Wala’a Othman, it was a relatively short trip. They travelled a distance of over one thousand kilometres to attend the course in Jordan in August 2005, a car journey in excess of fifteen hours from their home in Iraq.

The young champion is intent on making progress, he is keen to practise and he wants to practise more; six training sessions per week is his avowed goal.

Meanwhile, his coach dreams of Iraq gaining a higher status in the table tennis world and returning to a standard the country enjoyed over two decades ago.

Mouayad Hamed was a member of the national team but was deprived of a longer career when drafted into the army. He was held as a prisoner of war for six

years but put his time to good use by learning English.

Now he believes that the situation in Baghdad and in Iraq in general is slowly improving; organising training for promising young athletes is not easy but there is some progress. Wala'a can train three times per week but only during the day as in the evening power cuts often occur.

Roman Plese conducted the West Asia Training Camp in Amman and took the opportunity to meet members of the Jordan Table Tennis Federation and the Jordan Olympic Committee who had given assistance to the troubled country of Iraq.

Also he found a rising star; eleven years old Raya Shaban, the younger sister of Zeina Shaban who competed in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

Kazakhstan Part of the ITTF Development Program in Asia is that each region is allocated a training camp each year; for the West Middle Asia, the training camp in 2004 was in Kazakhstan (25th August-4th September).

Thirty players and twenty-four coaches from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan attended the camp led by ITTF Development Officer, Roman Plese.

The Kazakhstan Table Tennis Association provided an excellent training environment; the hard work of Yevgeniy Timchenko (Executive Vice-President), Malik Beisaliyev (State Coach and Kazakhstan National Olympic Committee member) plus Yelena Druzhkova (Interpreter), together with the knowledge of the ITTF expert, Roman Plese, made the camp a great success.

Kyrgyzstan The Kyrgyz Republic has had no direct contact with international training or competition for many years, so the first ITTF/ATTU Course in the capital of Bishkek was met with great enthusiasm. A Junior Training Camp held in December 2004 produced a tremendous atmosphere and one player in particular impressed the coach on duty, Roman Plese, the player’s name Saida Kudussova.

Fourteen years old, she was the best player at the training camp. “Her clean technique and high level of playing kept my attention on the young and talented girl”, said an Wala’a Outmman in Jordan PHOTO BY JORDAN TTF

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Laos Malaysia

Maldives Myanmar

Malaysia 2005 PHOTO BY TTA MALAYSIA

impressed Plese, who has conducted similar courses in over forty countries in the last two years. Saida Kudussova attended the ITTF/ATTU training Camp in Kazakhstan from 26th August to 3rd September 2004 and is undoubtedly a young lady with very clear goals; her aim is to compete in the World Championships in Shanghai and to meet her idol, Wang Nan. Meanwhile, whilst in Kyrgyzstan, Roman Plese met the Chairman of The State Committee of Kyrgyz Republic for Tourism, Sport and Youth Policy, Oktombek Almakuchukov and was able to promote a close future working relationship with the State Committee and Kyrgyzstan Olympic Committee for the development of table tennis in Kyrgyz Republic.

The International Table Tennis Federation sent a package of six tables, six nets and post sets, six scorers, eighty rackets plus eight gross of table tennis balls to Kyrgyz Republic in early 2005.

Laos Jan Berner was the expert on duty in Laos at the Olympic Solidarity Course in late May, early June 2004.

The major problem Jan Berner faced was the humidity and explaining to the course members that the rubber on the racket must be dry in order to impart spin on the ball. European players would no doubt have thrown their racket in their bag and gone home; in such conditions the coach had to find creative solutions.

Two of the twenty-six coaches were women; both had been educated in China and had a knowledge of the sport from which potential coaches could benefit.

Certainly progress is being made in table tennis; the week before Jan Berner arrived they held their first ever international championships with Cambodia, South Korea, and Vietnam invited. They finished in third place beating Cambodia, for Laos a great success.

Wounds from foreign occupation in the 1970s still hurt but with a new open country and a great deal of optimism the future of Laos table tennis and the country generally looks very promising.

Maldives Glenn Tepper visited the Madives in July 2000 to conduct an Olympic Solidarity Course and whilst football was the number one sport he also found a very active table tennis community.

Players from the Maldives who had competed in competitions organised by the South Asia Federation Games (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal,Bangladesh,

PHOTO BY ALL NEPAL TTA

Maldives 2000 PHOTO BY TTA MALAYSIA

Maldives, Bhutan) had a full-time Chinese coach for twelve months and employed a Nepal Coach for six months. Also they employed a full-time Development Officer and had one person fulfil the role of both coach and player in Hungary as part of the Olympic Solidarity Coaching Scholarship Programme.

Twenty-four table tennis enthusiasts participated in Coach Education, Umpires Course and Tournament Organisation Courses, as well as meeting to discuss future development directions.

The course organiser was Ahmed Latheef, the President of the Table Tennis Asociation of Maldives and the sport’s main driving force in the island.

Further visits followed in 2002 when David Fairholm led an Olympic Solidarity Course and from ist December 2004 to 25th February 2005, Arif Kahn conducted an Olympic Solidarity `Developing A National Coaching Structure’ programme, a course that was interrupted by the tsunami disaster.

Malaysia Marles Martins completed an ITTF Level One Coaching Course in Kuala Lumpur in November 2005 having received a warm welcome and being most impressed by the response of the students.

Organised under the auspices of Olympic Solidarity, thirty-six coaches, twenty-four men and twelve women from the fourteen states in Malaysia were in attendance. The course was held at the premises of the Olympic Committee of Malaysia for Indoor Sports; a splendid venue that provided all the facilities necessary in the same building, a hotel, restaurant, lecture room and a reasonably large hall. The first four days of the course were allocated to an ITTF Level One Coaching Course and the following three days for advanced coaching.

“Every member of the group was enthusiastic, there was a thirst for knowledge”, explained Marles Martins. “I have no doubt that we can expect a very positive future for table tennis in Malaysia; everyone I met was motivated, there is a great deal of commitment to make table tennis grow.”

The reaction of those on the course was one that clearly encouraged Marles Martins. “The course was different because there was such a good interaction between the coaches, the atmosphere was

splendid, everybody was made welcome, very welcome”, explained Marles Martins.

“Every guest was made to feel special, the words `Salamat Datang’, welcome in Malay, were written on the faces of every coach, they were pleased to see you there.”

Economically, South East Asia is growing rapidly and so is table tennis; the reason is that an excellent structure has been put in place.

“The Table Tennis Association of Malaysia is an example to other sporting associations in the country”, said Marles Martins. “The administration is very good and they have their own headquarters in a pleasant four storey building in the middle of one of the biggest commercial areas in Kuala Lumpur, it’s a building they’ve occupied since 2000.”

Clearly Marles Martins was impressed with what he saw in Malaysia; good organisation, tremendous enthusiasm and undoubtedly a promising future in the sport of table tennis lies ahead.

Myanmar Myanmar completed its first ever Coach Education Course during an Olympic Solidarity Technical Course in August 2005 in Yangon. Led by Richard McAfee, the course was well organised thanks to the efforts of Kyaw Kyaw, the President of the Myanmar Table Tennis Federation.

Forty-three coaches took part representing every state and division of the country; many of the participants having to travel for several days.

Everyone was housed and fed at the Olympic Hotel with the training sessions taking place at the federation’s full-time training hall that housed six courts.

“Considering this was the first course of its kind in the country, the playing level of the coaches was quite high”, said Richard McAfee. “Everyone was very dedicated to learning; the class completed the ITTF Level One Course work and moved on to even more advanced topics.”

Very pleasing but perhaps the best news received during the visit was a decision by the federation to apply for membership to the ITTF. Therefore, Richard McAfee assisted Kyaw Kyaw, with the preparation of the application papers.

Myanmar already has many plans for the development of the sport of table tennis in their country. They have a strong national junior team and in the future they hope to play in more international competitions. The future of any sport rests with its coaches and with the success of the ITTF's Coaching Course in Myanmar, that future looks bright indeed.

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ASIA

Nepal Pakistan Nepal 2004 PHOTO BY ALL NEPAL TTA

Nepal In 1996 the late Roy Pugh conducted a successful Olympic Solidarity Course in Lainchau, Nepal whilst in 2004 Steve Dainton was the expert on duty and in 2005 it was the turn of Jan Berner.

Steve Dainton visited Nepal in December 2004 to conduct one of Asia’s first ever ITTF Level One Coaching Courses.

It was his second journey of the year to south east Asia having earlier visited Afghanistan.

The visit brought back many memories for him and there were similarities. “There was tension in the air as Maoist rebels had increased their campaign against the government; armed security was therefore very visible”, he explained. “Yet still the people were trying to go about everyday life and the streets here in Kathmandu were bustling with people coping with their tense political environment, not to mention a dusty one."

The phenomenon was that sport continued and the recently reformed All Nepal Table Tennis Association was making every effort to bring the sport back to the glory days of its past.

Nepal was one of the founder members of the Asian Table Tennis Union, they have been regular participants in the World Championships and Asian Games whilst in the region’s most important competition, the South East Asia Games, they have a host of medals to show for their efforts.

Furthermore, they had very close links with China and Steve Dainton was in fact shown a photograph of the national team with one of China's former leaders, Zhou Enlai.

Many of the coaches who took part in the course had studied at the highly respected Sports’ School in Patiyala, India

whilst the coaches from the host country had all been involved at national level and were employed by the National Sports Council solely as table tennis coaches.

Therefore, the coaches were of a higher standard than the ITTF Level One Course but nevertheless the exchange of ideas, discussion on new techniques and the promotion of the International Table Tennis Federation in Nepal all proved valuable.

Most importantly, the International Table Tennis Federation was seen as taking a positive interest in promoting the sport in Nepal; a fact that was very well received by all concerned.

One year later in December 2005, Jan Berner led an ITTF Level Two Course within Kathmandu, attended by fourteen enthusiastic coaches.

The course was part of the ITTF/ATTU Development Program with the participants coming from different parts of the country, several taking a bumpy and dangerous fourteen hour bus ride through the Himalayas.

An ITTF Level One Course in December 2004 having been completed, their knowledge and basic strokes were quite good; however, skills in service and service return knowledge was lacking.

The sessions were especially appreciated by the National Team members in attendance with planning and periodisation forming part of the programme. However, coaching beginners was not neglected and for most is a reality as that constitutes most of their daily work. All completed the course with a new found motivation and the knowledge gained from the widely travelled Swede was most beneficial.

Unfortunately, sport is not high on the agenda in Nepal owing to the tense political situation. On the first day of the course in 2005, there was a demonstration with

twelve people killed by soldiers, resulting in all shops, schools and offices being closed the next day, as well as restricted traffic flow.

Despite these difficulties, the course still managed to be completed as planned.

A need for Nepal is equipment and in 2004 the ITTF/ATTU provided a large package of rackets and balls. Meanwhile, Jan Berner kindly supplemented this with twenty-nine blades donated by Stiga, together with used rubbers donated by World Champions and local players from Sweden and Norway.

The early Christmas present was appreciated.

Pakistan

PHOTO BY PAKISTAN TTF

The ITTF/ATTU Coach Education Course in Pakistan in December 2005

26 Development Program 2006

The Pakistan Table Tennis Federation, under the leadership of its recently appointed president Saiyid Mohammad Sibtain, organised an ITTF/ATTU Coach Education Course in December 2005 and adopted the new ITTF Coach Accreditation system. at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad.

Twenty-seven knowledgeable and enthusiastic coaches (including five women) from four of the six provinces of Pakistan (Sindh, North Western Frontier Province, Punjab and Balochistan) attended the week long course at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad. All worked very hard and all greatly enjoyed the experience. There was a great deal of enthusiasm and the response to the new ideas explained by Marles Martins, the coach on duty, showed that Pakistan has a strong commitment to raising the level of play.

The Pakistan Sports Complex is the home of the Pakistan Sports Board (the national sports funding body) and has the facilities to host seventeen sports with space and comfort.

Table tennis is situated in a hall with good standard of lighting, a wooden floor, ample space for seven tables and seating for five hundred spectators. In addition, the Pakistan Sports Complex has a Physiotherapy Centre and doctors as well as lodging for two hundred male athletes and one hundred and fifty female athletes in two different buildings whilst meals are available for both resident and visiting athletes.

The former international, Arif Khan, is working with the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation with the goal of raising playing standards. He reached the top sixty of the ITTF Men’s World Ranking List and was a quarter-finalist at the Asian Championships Arif Khan is one of the ITTF Level One Course Presenters and has been working extensively in Malawi and Maldives.

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Palestine Thailand Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Yemen Uzbekistan 2005 PHOTO BY UZBEKISTAN TTA

Palestine Many barriers existed to the Olympic Solidarity Course concluded in Palestine in July 2005 but table tennis prevailed over politics and the concept `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls' once again proved to be a success.

In order to allow participants from the West Bank and Gaza the opportunity to participate, Egypt’s Ahmed Dawlatly conducted courses in both areas (Hebron and Gaza), as it was impossible for either side to cross to the other.

The move was greatly appreciated by course participants who, in order to attend, had a walk of three or four hours.

Nine women attended the courses, all of whom had to make agreements with their families to be free of their domestic duties; one such lady, Asmaa Al Demery, even though pregnant, was not deterred and fully participated in the ITTF Level One course. Meanwhile, some of the male participants asked permission for their sons to attend in order to experience `the real and true table tennis’. The youngest was a boy named Hosam and his presence helped greatly in the course staged in Gaza.

Enthusiasm, gratitude and hospitality abounded in both courses with everyone appreciating the efforts to make the programmes a reality. The result was that Ahmed Dawlatly, in traditional hospitable Palestinian style, was treated to many sumptuous banquets as a mark of appreciation; in fact he suspected serious weight gain would be the result!

Thailand Promoted by the ITTF Development Program and the Asian Table Tennis Union, thirty coaches from Cambodia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore and Laos plus the host country Thailand, attended a successful High Performance Coaching Course in early August 2005.

Nattavuth Ruengves, the SecretaryGeneral of the Thailand Table Tennis Association and Don Mudta-Ngam, Coaching Committee Chairman, worked tirelessly to organise a thorough programme that provided splendid facilities

Turkmenistan The much travelled Roman Plese was in Turkmenistan in November 2004 where he conducted an Olympic Solidarity Course in Ashgabat.

It was his second visit to Turkmenistan; he had previously conducted an ITTF Development Project course in the country in September 2002.

Uzbekistan Roman Plese visited Uzbekistan in late March, early April 2005 where he conducted an Olympic Solidarity Course.

It was the first time that an official table tennis course had been staged in the country; it was most definitely well received.

Yemen Even the course director, Afshin Badiee, the ATTU Development Officer, could not have predicted such positive energy that resulted from the first ever course held in Yemen under the ITTF/ATTU Development Program in December 2005.

Five women out of a total of twentythree participants enrolled in the four day course at the Olympic Centre in the capital city Sana'a. The participants were mainly Presidents of Table Tennis Associations of different cities of Yemen plus some administrators of the Yemen TTA. The President of the Yemen Table Tennis Association, Nabil Fakih, attended several sessions in the course with Dr Hesam, the Secretary-General and course manager being ever present.

PHOTO BY YEMEN TTA

PHOTO BY PALESTINE TTA

Ahmed Dawlatly in Palestine, 2005

The course consisted of three main components: Principles of Management and Planning, Planning for a National Table Tennis Association, Planning an international tournament.

The first part was a presentation by the course director Afshin Badiee of Iran with both the second and third parts involving a workshop and a summing up by the course director.

It was the second occasion that a course under the auspices of the ITTF had been held in Yemen. The one previous course was held in 2000 when Ahmed Dawlatly was the instructor at an Olympic Soldarity Course.

In addition to organising affairs, the course director had chance to meet and discuss with the highest sport authorities in Yemen such as Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport, Assistant Deputy Minister in charge of sport and also NOC Secretary General who visited the course.

The reaction of those on the course suggested that Yemen has a positive table tennis future and this is certainly enhanced by the new table tennis hall that has been built in the Olympic complex.

A six hundred and seventy-two square metre size hall; it is purpose built for table tennis. It has the capacity of twenty tables for training (or nine tables for international competitions), six hundred and fifty seats for spectators plus fifty VIP seats.

Three foreign coaches from Korea, China and Japan are working in co-operation with local coaches to introduce a new generation of Yemeni table tennis players.

Yemen TTA is also planning its huge administration centre and guest house to be built next to this hall in the very near future.

The plans are ambitious but if you are to succeed in whatever walk of life then ambition is crucial. Building the new table tennis centre was ambitious but it happened and no doubt in their next endeavour they will succeed.

for theory sessions and an excellent training centre for practical sessions.

Benone Grigore of the United States conducted the course and was clearly impressed with proceedings: “Thailand is very well organised in planning and mental training, also I saw many young, talented and promising table tennis players”, he explained. “The overall knowledge of the coaches present was also very high.”

The standard of play amongst the leading players in Thailand is very impressive. Nanthana Komwong, who has spent time training in Europe, competed in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. It was a fine achievement to be present in Greece with the qualification tournament in Asia being arguably the most intense in the World.

Furthermore, the country regularly hires Chinese coaches so the different perspective presented by Benone Grigore was undoubtedly of value.

The new table tennis centre in Yemen

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ITTF/ATTU Development Program Courses Country Afghanistan Bahrain Bahrain Bahrain Bangladesh Bangladesh Bangladesh Bhutan Bhutan Bhutan Bhutan Brunei Brunei Brunei Cambodia China East Timor Hong Kong India India Indonesia Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Iraq Iraq Iraq Jordan Jordan Jordan Jordan Jordan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Kyrgzystan Laos Laos Lebanon Malaysia Malaysia Malaysia Malaysia Maldives Maldives Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal Nepal Oman Pakistan Pakistan Palestine Philippines Philippines Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Syria Syria Tajikistan Tajikistan Tajikistan Tajikistan Thailand Thailand Thailand Thailand Thailand Turkmenistan Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen Yemen

Date from 10 Mar 2004 19 Feb 2004 03 Feb 2003 08 May 1999 23 Nov 2005 18 Jan 2003 08 Nov 1999 12 Jul 2004 15 Apr 2002 18 Jul 2001 18 Aug 1999 21 Jun 2005 07 Dec 2002 29 Apr 2000 20 Sep 2001 16 Aug 2002 26 Sep 2002 17 May 2002 04 Oct 2005 15 Dec 2003 20 Sep 1999 28 Feb 2005 21 Nov 2005 24 Sep 2003 24 Sep 2003 25 Dec 2002 01 Jan 2004 28 Oct 2000 14 Nov 1999 01 Aug 2005 15 Jul 2003 30 Nov 2003 22 Jun 2002 24 May 1999 25 Aug 2004 08 Jul 2002 10 Dec 2004 01 Jul 2005 26 May 2004 13 Jun 2004 11 Nov 2005 15 Nov 2005 27 Dec 2003 15 Nov 2002 01 Dec 2004 15 Jun 2002 13 Jul 2000 11 Dec 2002 15 Aug 2005 10 Dec 2005 12 Dec 2004 18 May 2002 02 Dec 2005 17 Dec 2003 30 Jun 2005 15 Dec 2002 29 Jul 2000 05 Nov 1999 04 Oct 2002 07 Jun 1999 07 Nov 2004 02 Nov 1999 21 Nov 2004 25 Jan 2003 30 Jun 2005 07 Jun 2004 02 Aug 2003 31 Mar 2002 27 Aug 2005 06 Aug 2005 06 Aug 2005 19 Nov 2003 20 Nov 2000 19 Nov 2004 19 Sep 2002 24 Apr 2004 06 Jul 2002 24 Sep 2002 28 May 2001 29 Mar 2005 10 Dec 2001 10 Dec 2005 04 Sep 2000

28 Development Program 2006

Date to 27 Mar 2004 19 Aug 2004 10 Feb 2003 17 May 1999 30 Nov 2005 25 Jan 2003 22 Nov 1999 23 Jul 2004 31 Dec 2002 31 Jul 2001 31 Aug 1999 24 Jun 2005 14 Dec 2002 05 May 2000 29 Sep 2001 23 Aug 2002 06 Oct 2002 19 May 2002 10 Oct 2005 18 Dec 2003 25 Sep 1999 06 Mar 2005 28 Nov 2005 03 Oct 2003 03 Oct 2003 31 Dec 2002 08 Jan 2004 05 Nov 2000 21 Nov 1999 08 Aug 2005 23 Jul 2003 04 Dec 2003 29 Jun 2002 31 May 1999 04 Sep 2004 18 Jul 2002 20 Dec 2004 30 Nov 2005 02 Jun 2004 20 Jun 2004 15 Nov 2005 21 Nov 2005 28 Dec 2003 17 Nov 2002 25 Feb 2005 22 Jun 2002 22 Jul 2000 17 Dec 2002 25 Aug 2005 17 Dec 2005 20 Dec 2004 25 May 2002 09 Dec 2005 24 Dec 2003 14 Jul 2005 22 Dec 2002 04 Aug 2000 11 Nov 1999 17 Oct 2002 12 Jun 1999 14 Nov 2004 16 Nov 1999 26 Nov 2004 02 Feb 2003 06 Jul 2005 16 Jun 2004 16 Aug 2003 10 Apr 2002 10 Sep 2005 11 Aug 2005 11 Aug 2005 23 Nov 2003 26 Nov 2000 27 Nov 2004 29 Sep 2002 27 Apr 2004 12 Jul 2002 29 Sep 2002 03 Jun 2001 02 Apr 2005 20 Dec 2001 14 Dec 2005 15 Sep 2000

Course ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity-DNCS ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Training Camp Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity DNCS Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Training Camp Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Training Camp ONOC-Olympic Solidarity-OTTF-ITTF Olympic Solidarity Regional ITTF Women’s Course ITTF Referees Course Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Training Camp ITTF Women's Course ITTF Training Camp ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Women's Course High Performance Coaching Course Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Women's Course Olympic Solidarity Tournament Organisation ITTF Referees Course Olympic Solidarity-DNCS Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Women’s Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Tsunami Rebuilding ITTF Development Project High Performance Coaching Course Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Training Camp ITTF Training Camp Olympic Solidarity High Performance Coaching Course Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity

Expert Steve Dainton (AUS) Tetyana Kokunina (UKR) Roman Plese (HRV) Dejan Papic (SCG) Marles Martins (BRA) Tapar Chandra (IND) Wieland Speer (GER) Emanuel Christiansson (SWE) Phusit Ngam (THA) Phusit Ngam (THA) Phusit Ngam (THA) Li Chen (SIN) Roman Plese (HRV) Wieland Speer (GER) Roman Plese (HRV) Liu Wenqing (CHN) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Zhen Jiuxiang (CHN) Sung Ho Young (KOR) Polona Susin (SVN) Colin Clement (ENG) Reto Bazzi (SUI) Yoto Drianovski (BUL) Roman Plese (HRV) Benone Grigore (SWE) Foad Kaseb (IRI) Polona Susin (SVN) Houshang Bozongzadeh (USA) Najim Mohammed (UAE) Hubert Hustache (FRA) Dejan Papic (SCG) Roman Plese (HRV) Hubert Hustache (FRA) Branka Batinic (HRV) Hubert Hustache (FRA) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Roman Plese (HRV) Roman Plese (HRV) Roman Plese (HRV) Myung Hee Seo (KOR) Jan Berner (SWE) Roman Plese (HRV) Chan Foong Keong (MAS) Marles Martins (BRA) Chan Foong Keong (MAS) Aksell Beckmann (DEN) Arif Khan (PAK) David Fairholm (ENG) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Park Do Cheon (KOR) Richard McAfee (USA) Jan Berner (SWE) Steve Dainton (AUS) Hubert Hustache (FRA) Marles Martins (BRA) Foad Kased (IRI) Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY) Roman Plese (HRV) Zeng Chuanqiang (CHN) Dejan Papic (CAN) Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY) Peter Hirst (ENG) Jan Berner (SWE) Xi Enting (CHN) Polona Susin (SVN) Roman Plese (HRV) Mehndad Babadirand (IRI) Foad Kaseb (IRI) Foad Kased (IRI) Foad Kased [IRI] Richard McAfee (USA) Benone Grigore (SWE) Benone Grigore (SWE) Ken McLeod (ENG) Ian Marshall (ENG) Roman Plese (HRV) Roman Plese (HRV) Linus Mernsten (SWE) Tibor Rozsnoyi (HUN) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Roman Plese (HRV) Hubert Hustache (FRA) Afshin Badiee (IRI) Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY)

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ITTF/ATTU Development Program Equipment Assistance Country Afghanistan ATTU Bangladesh Bangladesh Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei East Timor India India Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia Iran Iraq Iraq Jordan Jordan Jordan Kazakstan Kyrgzystan Laos Laos Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Maldives Maldives Maldives Maldives Maldives Maldives Mongolia Mongolia Myanmar Nepal Nepal North Korea North Korea North Korea North Korea Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan Palestine Palestine Phillipines Qatar Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Tajikistan Thailand Thailand Thailand Thailand Turkmenistan Vietnam Yemen Yemen Yemen Yemen

Year 2004 2001 2005 2003 2000 2001 2005 2002 2005 2001 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2002 2005 2004 1999 2005 2003 2001 2000 2005 2005 2005 2003 2003 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2003 2000 2003 2001 2005 2004 2000 2003 2002 2000 1999 2005 2003 2000 2005 2000 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2004 2003 2000 2003 2002 2001 2005 2005 2005 2005 1999 2001 2005 2004 2003 2001

Event ITTF-IOC-Butterfly Co-operation Asian Junior ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ONOC ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement-Butterfly

Supplier Tables Butterfly donation 6 Nittaku ITTF Stag 6 4 4 ITTF Stag 10 ITTF Stag Stag donation Butterfly donation Juic donation Newgy donation ITTF Lab ITTF 12

ITTF Agreement Arab TTU Agreement ITTFAgreement

ITTF Egypt

ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Arab TTU Agreement ITTF Agreement Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding ITTF Agreement

Double Happiness Butterfly-Thailand ITTF Shanghai Sports-Bangkok Egypt ITTF Double Happiness Newgy donation Stag donation ITTF Butterfly donation Stag

ITTF Agreement ITTFAgreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement

Stag

Nets 6

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Surrounds Rackets Balls Gross Scorers Umpire Tables Other 312 13 5 cartons-clothing 280 416 20 ITTF manuals 100 2 6

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1 laptop ITTF Lab

ITTF Stag Stag

ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement

ITTF ITTF Butterfly donation Newgy donation Double Happiness Stag Stag Stag

Arab TTU Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement US$2000 for tables Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding Tsunami Rebuilding

Egypt Iran

ITTFAgreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Arab TTU Agreement ITTF Agreement

Stag donation Newgy donation Butterfly donation

ITTF Stag Egypt

4 1 laptop, printer, fax 1 laptop 20 ITTF manuals 14 6 6 6

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2006 Development Program 29

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EUROPE

“With pleasure I experience the fact that European member associations accept our development activities. Europe provides an example that `development’ can be wide ranging as the needs of our members are quite different; we try to be as flexible as possible and I am positive that all European Associations can find activities among our projects in which to participate" Stefano Bosi (ITTF Continental Vice President Europe) PHOTO BY WWW.ALLTT.COM

Daniela Dodean, recipient of an ITTF Scholarship PHOTO BY MARIANN DOMONKOS

The Europe Development Program is based on the highly successful Eurokids and Eurotalents Junior Training Camps, co-ordinated by a full-time Development Manager and also includes an `Assistance Program’ for developing nations.

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“Besides the obvious advantages of the national courses and assistance program, the European associations have become accustomed to co-operating since the beginning of the ITTF/ETTU Development Program in 2001. Coaches, players and also officials treat each other as potential partners for improvement, not as opponents only. The unity of Europe in many important fields has started to be built" Zita Pidl (European Table Tennis Union Development Officer)

Eurokids Eurtalents

Eurokids Eurokids is a programme that has been designed to help the most promising boys and girls in the under twelve age group realise their full potential.

Under the direction of Zita Pidl, ETTU Development Officer, the major aim of the programme is to select a number of highly talented young players for several joint training camps at top European training centres with the option of extending their education by learning languages and about other country’s cultures.

PHOTO BY ZITA PIDL

PHOTO BY STEPHAN ROSCHER

Eurokids Goals ......To motivate and encourage associations and players to work in partnership and join forces. ......To create a situation where Europe's young players can progress to eventually challenge the best in the world. ......To teach the players the most recent table tennis techniques. ......To educate players in coping with the demands of professional sport. ......To co-ordinate coaches’ opinions in order to establish a common programme for future training.

Eurokids 2001 The programme started in 2001 with three training camps for children born after 30th June 1988. The first was held in Terni in April and was superbly organised by the Italian Federation.

Thirty-two children from eleven associations (Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, England, Estonia, France, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania and Poland) participated under the direction of two head coaches: Leszek Kucharski (Poland) and Philippe Molodzoff (France).

The camp proved a great success and proved an education for all; for the organisers we learnt the areas in which we need to make progress, whilst for the players they learnt to communicate with each other, despite language barriers and different social and economic backgrounds.

A minimum knowledge of the English language for all participants is important in order to improve the lines of communication and enhance dialogue; however, the most important step that has to be made is to encourage national associations to work with each other, by doing so everyone will benefit and table tennis will be the winner.

Further training camps in 2001 were held in August in Luxembourg and in December in France.

Players at the first Eurokids Camp in 2001

Eurokids 2004 Three years on, by 2004 almost forty countries had benefited from the programme with the Eurokids Camp at the Sports Centre of Spartak, Hluk, Czech Republic in 2004 seeing thirty-seven players and eighteen coaches from eighteen countries participating.

The local co-ordinator was Andrea Bojkova who provided the perfect training environment and facilties with twenty table tennis tables available plus a sauna, fitness room and outdoor sports grounds.

Head coach Jarek Kolodziejczyk created an environment of co-operation amongst countries, more commonly arch rivals.

On duty in Czech Republic as coaches were many ex-national team players including the likes of Carl Prean of England.

Therefore, with so many recently retired top players in action as coaches the opportunity was too great to miss, and a “Past versus Future” match of coaches against players. The highly motivated juniors benefiting enormously from the lessons learnt in their loss to the slower but wiser coaches.

Education of the players, is an important part of the programme and includes Sports Sciences, English lessons, as well as cross-cultural co-operation and understanding.

Since Eurokids started development has been constant. Partnerships have been formed in Asia, initially in China, and later in South Korea; this not only helps the level of table tennis grow, it also enhances personal development. Meanwhile, in 2003, the ETTU took the progressive step of inviting Egypt to one of their camps, and this was followed in 2004 by invita-

tions being sent to Iran. Two girls and one boy plus a coach accepted and were present in the Czech Republic.

The fact that two girls from Iran trained with the best of Europe was a great opportunity for the girls whilst the friendships formed and the greater understanding between cultures and nations will be something they will always remember.

Eurotalents 2004 Eurotalents for players in their latter junior years developed from the Eurokids Programme.

Successful Eurotalents courses on the ITTF/ETTU Programme were hosted in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia in 2004 as well as Eurokids Training Camps in Romania and Czech Republic.

One of the many reasons for the success of the Eurokids/Eurotalents Camps is thanks to Jarek Kolodziejczyk, the head coach. Jarek forms a team with ETTU Development Manager, Zita Pidl that has overseen and transformed this programme into a highly sought after part of the ETTU Calendar.

Jarek has a very strong technical base, but bringing the talented juniors and coaches of Europe together in a spirit of co-operation is perhaps a greater skill.

The knowledge sharing and co-operative approach will certainly assist Europe to produce world level players for many years to come.

The final camp of 2004 was a `Team Bonding’ camp for players competing in the ETTU World Cadet Challenge Team prior to the official ITTF World Cadet Challenge Training Camp in Madeira.

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Eurotalents 2005 A Eurotalents Training Camp was held on the beautiful Portuguese island of Madeira from 26th September to 2nd October 2005.

Coaching was under the direction of Jarek Kolodziejczk who was assisted by the Czech Republic’s Kamil Kountny.

On the first day of proceedings, Kolodziejczk gave a lecture to a group of thirty Portuguese coaches in Funchal on the subject of `Video Analysis, Importance and Necessity’. The lecture was well received and the training camp commenced the following day in Ponta do Sol, approximately forty kilometres from Funchal.

All present enjoyed the facilities provided by the hotel where a swimming pool, sauna and whirlpool were made available, whilst the training hall was situated in a school complex and boasted twenty table tennis tables that were available throughout the course.

A major boost for the training camp was the presence of five Chinese players whose attendance had been organised by the Madeira Table Tennis Association. They were all different in their style of play, so the opportunity to practise against penholders, defenders and various types of racket surface was afforded to the young Europeans.

On 1st October 2005 a Eurotalents tournament was held which provided an ideal climax to the programme. Players competed initially in groups before proceeding to the knock-out stage.

PHOTO BY JAREK KOLODZIEJCZK

EUROPE

Eurokids Plus Training Camp in November 2005

Kosovo Kosovo played in its first ever international table tennis competition when the association competed in a tournament in Luxembourg on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd November 2003.

The results gained may only have been modest but the opportunity to compete internationally was the most important factor.

Meanwhile in 2004, six boys (Astrit Hasani, Betim Sejdiu, Arber Xheladini, Miftar Veliu, Betim Marevci, Mustafe Recica) and seven girls (Vlora Ajeti, Luljeta Hasani, Rexhbije Sejdiu, Bierta Abazi, Xhemile Hasani, Marigona Ismaili, Nafije Murati) started a new era for table tennis in Kosovo. They competed in the European Youth Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

There were no medals but simply being there was ample reward for the country Roman Plese visited in July 2004 when he conducted a course in Ferizaj, a town of two hundred thousand people,

Thirteen boys, twelve girls from twelve countries attended the ETTU Eurokids Plus Training Camp held at Club Bronowianka in Krakow in November 2005.

Organised by Marek Wnuk and Andrzej Wojtas, Jarek Kolodziejczyk was the head coach with the main goals of improve balance whilst playing over the table and seizing the initiative when receiving service.

A tournament was held on the last two days; Poland’s Piotr Chodorski, Croatia’s Borna Kovac and Romania’s Mikhail Sargu finished in the top three places respectively, whilst the leading girls were Slovakia's Barbora Balazova, Poland’s Magda Szczerkowska and Romania's Melinda Curcui.

The tournament at Eurokids Training Camps has now become a standard feature of the programme; the scheme is constantly reviewed and Eurokids has become an established part of ETTU activities.

32 Development Program 2006

PHOTO BY TTF KOSOVO

Eurokids Plus

A break in training for players from Kosovo

about forty-five kilometres from the capital Prishtina. Twenty players, including the thirteen who went to Budapest, plus ten coaches attended the course; as ever all worked extremely hard despite having to play in temperatures reaching thirty-eight degrees centigrade.

The conditions were tough but only a minor irritation when compared with the difficulties inhabitants of the war torn country have suffered in recent years. They have now completed their first footsteps in international competition by playing in the European Youth Championships and no doubt they will be seen more often on the international scene in future years.

Malta David Fairholm conducted Level One and Level Two Coaching Courses for twentyfive Maltese coaches from October to December 2003. He visited ten schools gave demonstrations and co-ordinated after school coaching sessions whilst also lecturing to sixty university students.

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ITTF/ETTU Development Program Courses Country Albania Austria Austria Azerbaijan Belgium China

Date from 28 May 2005 20 Sep 2004 25 Nov 2002 03 Oct 2003 27 Oct 2002 11 Aug 2002

Date to 31 May 2005 26 Sep 2004 02 Dec 2002 10 Oct 2003 03 Nov 2002 31 Aug 2002

Course Assistance Coaching Seminar Women’s Under 21 Training Camp Eurotalents Training Camp girls ITTF Development Project Eurotalents Training Camp boys Eurotalents Training Camp boys and girls

Croatia Czech Republic Czech Republic Czech Republic Czech Republic Czech Republic Czech Republic

28 27 06 15 08 10 09

Jan Jan Sep Mar Sep Mar Sep

2006 2006 2004 2004 2003 2003 2002

28 02 12 22 15 17 16

Jan Feb Sep Mar Sep Mar Sep

2006 2006 2004 2004 2003 2003 2002

Assistance Coaching Seminar Eurokids Junior Training Camp Eurokids Training Camp Eurotalents Training Camp Eurokids Training Camp Eurotalents Training Camp Eurokids Training Camp

Czech Republic England ETTU-Korea France France

21 12 03 19 17

Mar Mar Aug Aug Oct

2005 2005 2003 2005 2005

27 13 18 25 22

Mar Mar Aug Aug Oct

2005 2005 2003 2005 2005

Eurotalents Training Camp ITTF Women’s Course Eurotalents Training Camp Eurokids Junior Training Camp WCC Junior Training Camp

France

15 Dec 2001

22 Dec 2001

Eurokids Training Camp

Israel Italy

04 Feb 2001 11 Apr 2001

18 Feb 2001 18 Apr 2001

High Performance Coaching Course Eurokids Training Camp

Jersey Jersey Kosovo Kosovo Kosovo Luxembourg

01 17 01 31 13 12

Aug Jul Jul May Feb Aug

2005 2004 2004 2003 2002 2001

07 24 10 09 24 19

Aug Jul Jul Jun Feb Aug

2005 2004 2004 2003 2002 2001

Assistance Coaching Seminar Assistance Coaching Seminar ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Eurokids Training Camp

Malta Malta Malta Poland Poland Portugal Portugal Portugal Portugal Portugal Romania Romania Romania Slovakia Slovakia Slovakia Slovenia

16 06 01 21 07 26 28 19 20 06 31 02 29 04 16 11 31

Oct Oct Dec Nov Jun Sep Sep Jun Oct Oct Jan Feb Apr Oct Sep Feb Oct

2005 2003 2000 2005 2004 2005 2005 2004 2004 2003 2005 2004 2003 2004 2003 2002 2005

23 01 03 27 13 02 02 20 24 13 06 08 04 10 16 17 05

Oct Dec Dec Nov Jun Oct Oct Jun Oct Oct Feb Feb May Oct Sep Feb Nov

2005 2003 2000 2005 2004 2005 2005 2004 2004 2003 2005 2004 2003 2004 2003 2002 2005

Assistance Coaching Seminar Training Camp Olympic Solidarity DNCS Olympic Solidarity Eurokids Plus Junior Training Camp Eurotalents Training Camp Eurotalents Junior Training Camp Assistance Coaching Seminar Assistance Coaching Seminar WCC Cadet Training Camp Eurotalents Training Camp-boys Eurokids Junior Training Camp Eurokids Training Camp Eurokids Training Camp Eurotalents Training Camp Coach Education Regional Eurotalents Training Camp girls ITTF Women’s Course

Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia (with China) Spain Spain Turkey

16 05 24 14 15 05 11 20

Jan Apr Nov Apr Apr Dec Mar Feb

2005 2004 2003 2003 2002 2004 2002 2002

16 11 30 20 21 08 18 27

Jan Apr Nov Apr Apr Dec Mar Feb

2005 2004 2003 2003 2002 2004 2002 2002

Assistance Coaching Seminar Eurochamps Training Camp (with Korea) Eurokids Plus Training Camp Eurotalents Training Camp Eurotalents Training Camp boys and girls Assistance Coaching Seminar Eurotalents Training Camp boys Eurokids Training Camp

Expert Zita Pidl (HUN) Liu Yan Jun (AUT) Zita Pidl (HUN) Roman Plese (HRV) Zita Pidl (HUN) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Viorel Filimon (ROU) Zita Pidl (HUN) Milan Stencil (HRV) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Zita Pidl (HUN) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczjk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Zita Pidl (HUN) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Zita Pidl [HUN] Leszek Kucharski (POL) Phillipe Molodzoff (FRA) Zita Pidl (HUN) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Dorte Kronsell (DEN) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Gundars Rusis (LAT) Zita Pidl (HUN) Leszek Kucharski (POL) Phillipe Molodzoff (FRA) Zita Pidl (HUN) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Leszek Kucharski (POL) Phillipe Molodzoff (FRA) Zita Pidl (HUN) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Phillipe Molodzoff (FRA) Roman Plese (HRV) Roman Plese (HRV) Roman Plese (HRV) Leszek Kucharski (POL) Phillipe Molodzoff (FRA) Zita Pidl (HUN) Leszek Kucharski (POL) David Fairholm (ENG) Antonella Flori (ITA) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczjk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Mario Amizic (HRV) Mario Amizic (HRV) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Gundars Rusis (LAT) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Zita Pidl (HUN) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Zita Pidl (HUN) Zita Pidl (HUN) Branka Batinic (HRV) Gordana Furjan-Mardic (HRV) Eva Jeler (SVN) Zoran Kalinic (SCG) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Zita Pidl (HUN) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Zita Pidl (HUN) Zita Pidl (HUN) Carole Seve (FRA) Zita Pidl (HUN) Leszek Kucharski (POL) Phillipe Molodzoff (FRA) Zita Pidl (HUN)

ITTF/ETTU Development Program Equipment Assistance Country Albania Armenia Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Belarus Estonia ETTU ETTU Georgia Kosovo Latvia Latvia Lithuania Macedonia Malta Malta Moldova Slovenia Spain Ukraine

Year 2005 2000 2003 2000 2004 2001 2000 1999 2000 2004 2005 2000 2004 2004 2004 2003 2000 2005 1999 2000

Event ITTF Agreement

Supplier Cornilleau

Stadium Opening

Joola

ITTF-ETTU Agreement ITTF Agreement

FFTT donation

Tables 5 3 7 3 5 4

Nets 5 3 7 3 5

Surrounds

Rackets 50

75 75 75 50

Balls Gross 1.5

10 1.4

Scorers 5 3 7 3 5

Umpire Tables

Other

3 7 3

750 rubbers US$2000 ITTF/ETTU Agreement ITTF Agreement

FFTT donation Cornilleau

ITTF/ETTU Agreement China TTA Assistance ITTF/ETTU Agreement Small Nation Games

ITTF Lab China TTA FFTT donation Joola

ITTF Agreement International Training Centre

Cornilleau

3 5 5 3 6 10 5

3 5 5 3 6 10 5

75

3 5 20 5

3 5 24 6

75

50 50

1.4 1.5

75 100 50

100 1.4

3 5 5 3

3

3

5 US$2000

50 500 125

1.5

3 5 20 5

3 20 5

40 Towel boxes

2006 Development Program 33

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LATIN AMERICA

“The ITTF Development Program is really changing the history of table tennis in Latin America. In the last five years we have introduced, through the different development programs, more than five hundred thousand children to table tennis and the education programs have involved more that two thousand coaches, umpires, officials, monitors and referees. Thanks ITTF! Miguel Delgado (ITTF Continental Vice President Latin America) PHOTO BY WWW.ALLTT.COM

PHOTO BY CHINA TTA

Colombia’s Paula Medina who gained an ITTF Scholarship PHOTO BY IVAN STORTI

The Latin American Development Program includes an International Training Centre, full time Development Officer conducting courses across the continent, equipment assistance, junior training camps, `My Champion School’ and marketing.

34 Development Program 2006

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The Latin American Table Tennis Union, formed thirty-two years ago, and their member countries, are very encouraged because of the achievements reached in all these years. One of the main reasons is the implementation of the Development Program since 2000 for Latin America, an area which did not previously have a defined work philosophy and not much development concerning organization and equipment needs.

Evelio Alvarez (Latin American Table Tennis Union Development Officer)

Latin America Barbados Costa Rica Dominica

PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

A demonstration by Glenn Tepper at the ITTF Level One Course in Barbados in 2005

Latin America `My School, Latin American Table Tennis Champion’, is one of the major programmes of the Latin American Table Tennis Union and was started in 2000.

The objectives are to: increase the popularity of table tennis in Latin America and to increase the number of children taking part in table tennis. The Latin American Table Tennis Union and its member associations take table tennis to schools that children aged between eight and twelve years old attend.

During 2000 and 2001, many countries joined the programme with the aim of fulfilling the two main objectives of increasing popularity and participation in table tennis.

Costa Rica has linked the scheme to the Ministry of Education whilst in Guatemala it is supported by the governing body of all the sports organisations in the country, Conader. Meanwhile, in Cuba the programme is supported directly by the National Sports Institute, INDER; in El Salvador it is organised by its table tennis federation.

Other countries have been able to develop the programme by means of sponsorship and agreements with companies who have helped financially or contributed by donating equipment.

After two years of the scheme, over one hundred schools participated, including: Sonny Bilïngue Cartago School, Costa Rica, Liceo Getsemani & España First School, El Salvador, Jefferson School, Ecuador, Nacaome School, Honduras, Panamanian Chinese Cultural Centre Panama, La Salle School, Dominican Republic American School, Colombia, El Progreso School, Guatemala and Antonio Maceo School, Cuba.

The result is that in the eight to twelve age group five hundred thousand children in Latin America had participated by 2005; a very successful scheme that can only be

good for the future of table tennis in the region.

Barbados Coaches from Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago, Puerto Rico, Dominica and Cuba attended an ITTF Level One Course held at the University of the West Indies in Barbados in September 2005.

Under the direction of Glenn Tepper, ITTF Development Manager, it was the first such course to be organised in the region.

In addition an ITTF Development Workshop was held to enable Caribbean countries to understand the ITTF Development Program and the assistance available.

Furthermore, certain coaches were selected to undergo two days of intensive `ITTF Level One Course Presenter’ training.

Costa Rica Abilio de Cruz conducted an Olympic Solidarity Course in Costa Rica in May 2000. The programme covered sixty hours teaching, with the major topics on the agenda focusing on physical and tactical areas. Also, it was the first time the 40mm ball had been used in Costa Rica.

Further courses were taken in 2000 by Evelio Alavarez, the LATTU Development Officer, whilst in 2002 and 2004 Fran Camargo led a Marketing Course.

Dominica The late Roy Pugh conducted an Olympic Solidarity Course in Dominica in January 1999; the venue being the Church Hall, St. Mary’s Academy in Roseau.

Twenty-eight children attended the first day, the numbers increasing to forty on the

following days. The major problem facing the coach was equipment, with only seven rackets and two tables being available at the start of the course. Abraham Brown acted as a practice partner and managed to acquire a further table tennis table and eight rackets.

In addition to the coaching for juniors, senior sessions were held with twentyeight players of varying standards attending. The majority were teachers but the course could only last ten hours with many finding it difficult to gain release from work.

Therefore, Roy Pugh concentrated on the four basic strokes plus service and receive and concluded the programme with a question and answer session.

The course members displayed a good understanding and left being able to deliver instruction on the fundamentals of the sport in their own districts.

Three years later (5th August-5th November 2002) Dave Fairholm visited Dominica to deliver an Olympic Solidarity Developing a National Coaching Structure Program course.

Training sessions for players of all standards were being organised in the capital, Roseau with beginners and intermediate level players having an hour long session each on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays whilst for the senior players a two hour long session had been instigated on each weekday evening.

Furthermore, a regular weekly Grand Prix tournament was being held on Sundays with thirty-eight players having competed in the three categories. By August 2002, a total of fifty-one players had registered for training whilst thirtyeight players had competed in the tournaments.

Fifty-one students enrolled for the coaching course making it a busy time for Dave Fairholm, who also accompanied the seven member Dominican team to the 15th Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Tournament in St. Vincent (24th28th October); an event in which Dominica did exceptionally well, particularly in the women's events.

Visit to schools formed a significant part of Dave Fairholm’s programme.

Priority was given to schools with tables although some had to improvise.

Meanwhile, a Coaches Workshop was held, with those schools who had shown a commitment to promoting table tennis being designated to receive tables as part of the Latin American Table Tennis Union’s `My Champion School’ project.

Nineteen people attended; fifteen received Leaders/Teachers Certificates while three received Club Coaching Certificates.

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LATIN AMERICA

Ecuador Guatemala

Ecuador Thirty-six members of the Ecuador Table Tennis Federation attended an Olympic Soldarity Course in Guayaquil in July 2000 with sixty-five hours being devoted to practical work and twenty-one hours to theory.

The course was led by Abilio de Cruz who returned to Ecuador in September 2003 to teach a High Performance Course and in September 2004 to conduct a further Olympic Solidarity Course.

Meanwhile, in July 2001, Evelio Alvarez led an ITTF Development Project Course in Ecuador and in October 2005, Fran Camargo conducted a Marketing Course.

El Salvador Sixteen coaches (nine from El Salvador, two from the Dominican Republic, one from each of Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Aruba) attended the international table tennis coaching course in El Salvador in June 2003.

Carlos Esnard, the Technical Director of the El Salvador Table Tennis Federation was the course organiser and the expert was Abilio Cruz.

Several further courses were held in El Salvador with a Training Camp prior to the ITTF World Junior Circuit event in 2005 being particularly successful.

The camp was conducted by Emmanuel Christiansson and Swedish international, Peter Karlsson and surely set new records in terms of numbers. No less than ninety-four young players attended!

Guatemala Twenty-five coaches from twenty countries attended the ITTF Level One Coaching Course in Guatemala in October 2005; the course was under the direction of Brazil’s Marles Martins with Cuba’s Hugo Perez de Corcho of Cuba assisting.

The ITTF Level One Coaching Manual was distributed and was made available for course participants in Spanish.

Furthermore, advanced coaching sessions were held as well as `My Champion School’ information being disseminated.

Several Caribbean countries such as Saint Kitts, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia and Haiti were present in Guatemala being led by very interested and motivated coaches. It was very pleasing to note that this group of coaches, who were present at the course left Guatemala with a new motivation and many new ideas on which to work.

It was quite remarkable that the course in Guatemala even took place with the country having been hit by Hurricane Stan;

PHOTO BY TTF GUATEMALA

Marles Martins in Guatemala 2005

much credit for making sure that any such problems were overcome must go to Alfonso Saravia from the Guatemalan National Olympic Committee, his superb organisational skills assured the smooth running of the course.

President of the Latin American Table Tennis Union, Miguel Delgado, was present at the course in Guatemala, which like other courses in Latin America, had one major factor in common; a passion for table tennis. A fact that suggests the future for the sport in Guatemala and in Latin America is bright, very bright.

Peru The success of the ITTF High Performance Programme was clearly shown in August 1999, when a record number of sixtyseven coaches from seven countries attended the one week course in Chozica just outside Lima in Peru.

Conducted by Mikael Andersson, the impressive technical support from the local organisers and help from the Peruvian Olympic Committee set the stage for a good course. Ten sessions of three hours with fifty per cent of the time practically oriented was the basis of the programme. The response was not only good, it was very good. The mood was one of optimism, positive coaches, grateful coaches and critical coaches discussing table tennis and the improvement of players.

“Educated in a country where winning world titles certifies you as good coach, it takes some time to understand the reality of our sport”, said Mikael Andersson.

“There are many coaches who do tremendous work to keep our sport alive in all parts of the world; without doubt, credit must go to them.”

Sweden has a record of success in table Mikael Andersson with dancers dressed in local costume in Peru in 1999 PHOTO BY PERU TTF

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El Salvador Peru

tennis that few can match so what about the future of table tennis in Peru? “More co-operation on a youth level; there is no lack of talented table tennis players but the organisation with regards to a calendar and joint activities has to be better”, continued Mikael Andersson. “Coach education is important; therefore, we need to think about a possible ITTF certification model.”

The advice of Mikael Andersson was soon heeded with the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual and the ITTF Coach Education scheme being designed in the ensuing years.

“ITTF World Youth Events can play a big role for smaller countries who have talented players; a good result in a world event can open doors to better financial support”, explained Mikael Andersson. “In my opinion it is clear that the ITTF can and will play a major role in developing our sport in Latin America and Africa, with the ITTF Development Plan we have a good programme to accommodate the needs in weaker continents within the International Table Tennis Federation.”

The venue for the course was the beautiful country club `El Bosque’ possessing all the necessary facilities to run a first class course. Coaches from Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Cuba, El Salvador, Venezuela and Colombia attended and the success of the course certainly proved that Latin America has the ability to organise high

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class events professionally.

A most worthwhile course and in November 2004 Roman Plese conducted a High Performance Course for coaches in Lima, Peru with the final day seeing a training session organised for a group of very talented young players.

One year later, the Peruvian National Olympic Committee organised an Olympic Solidarity Course in September 2005; the course was well received with more than thirty-five coaches from seven different provinces participating.

Subject matter for the first four days of the course was the ITTF Level One Coaching Program. Staged at the Peruvian National Olympic Headquarters, the remaining six days concentrated on high level coaching.

The conductor of the course was the Marles Martins.

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico dominated the Caribbean Junior Championships in Barbados in 2005, showing a professional team approach and unity as well as good technique.

The experienced Ivan Santos, Vice President of the Puerto Rico Table Tennis Federation and Bladimir Dias, National Junior Coach, both attended the ITTF Level One Course Presenters Course held after the Championships in October.

Puerto Rico, a small, picturesque, island, has nearly twenty permanent table tennis venues, an Olympic Sports School and Training Centre which includes table tennis and a committed group of coaches and administrators.

The young and highly motivated Minister of Sport and Recreation, David Bernier, was very positive about working together with the national federation to popularise table tennis in the primary schools. A programme is envisaged which educates school teachers to teach table tennis using limited equipment, as well as looking at methods to assist elite development, is envisaged.

President of the Puerto Rico Table Tennis Federation is Angelo Medina, a person with a high profile in sport and entertainment promotion. He is the person who brought Ricky Martin to the world; his promotional ability and connections will certainly be a huge bonus for any ITTF events held here in the future.

PHOTO BY ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES TTA

Puerto Rico St Kitts & Nevis St Vincent

A smiling face greeted Ahmed Dawlatly in St Vincent & The Grenadines

St Kitts & Nevis St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies, played host to an ITTF/IOC Olympic Solidarity Coaches Course in August 2004.

Laverne Merritt from St Kitts and Nevis Table Tennis Association planned and liased with the ITTF for many months prior to the course, the result being a well organised programme. USATT Coach, Richard McAfee, conducted the Course being the fourth time he had conducted courses in the region. The St. Kitts and Nevis Table Tennis Association is a relatively new organisation and is displaying a very positive attitude. Twenty-four aspiring coaches took part in the course, which was taught in two sessions a day to accommodate the participants various working schedules. Six of the participants were women and the course made use of the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual, a publication that was very well received by all.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Table Tennis Association aims to hold major events in the future and has received help from both Tamasu Butterfly and Newgy in their efforts to promote table tennis.

Newgy Industries and ButterflyOn-Line donated equipment valued at over US$2,000.

Exercising control at the course in St Vincent & The Grenadines in 2005 PHOTO BY ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES TTA

St Vincent & The Grenadines `Developing a National Sports Structure’ Olympic Solidarity Course is arguably the most beneficial and successful of the Olympic Solidarity Programmes owing to the lasting legacy and combination of actions to assist the association.

However, ITTF expert, Ahmed Dawlatly did not expect that would include painting the floor where the training occurred in his St Vincent & the Grenadines course which commenced in July 2005 and concluded at the end of November.

Co-ordinated by the president of the national association, Sean Stanley, everyone was involved in the repairs. President, administrators, national team, junior players and Ahmed Dawlatly all co-operated.

The course was well organised, covering coach education, senior and junior training and assisting develop a long term plan.

Talented young players, Richard Morris and Kamal Hunte worked hard with both brush and racket and competed in the Caribbean Junior Championships in 2005.

Meanwhile, two local coaches had spent three months attending a coach education course in Hungary whilst Sean Stanley and Carlton Daniel had been studying in Cuba.

A part of the itinerary for Ahmed Dawlatly was to visit the Liberty Lodge Boys’ Training Centre, a unique establishment designed to provide a caring environment for boys aged seven to sixteen years of age who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties Ahmed Dawlatly gave a coaching course at the school and the head of the school, Massa Kato, was very pleased. The boys responded and behaved well; as a result Ahmed Dawlatly promised to return the next time he is in St Vincent.

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Uruguay Maria Häfeli, educated in Peru, Moscow and Switzerland and with a strong coaching background, conducted an Olympic Solidarity Course in Uruguay in September 2005. It was her second venture as an ITTF Course Conductor, the previous experience being in Congo DR The course was held in Montevideo and Maria’s extensive language skills plus her table tennis knowledge makes her an ideal person to deliver courses that are part of the ITTF Development Program. She lives in Switzerland and has a good command of no less than seven languages, Maria is an ideal worldwide presenter, having completed her last course in Congo DR in late April, early May 2005.

“In the Guarani language, Uruguay means river of the painted birds", explained Maria. “The colourful plumage of the native birds must have surely dazzled the first inhabitants of this territory and history took over that name to describe this beautiful country.”

Montevideo has the rare privilege of having a beach longer than twenty kilometres and when it comes to music and dance, the `Tango’ like the `Candombe’ are the two national rhythms from Uruguay.

Furthermore, the Uruguayans are genial hosts and naturally friendly, a fact that Maria was able to confirm even before the course had started.

“I can confirm their warmness because the first day I arrived at the Uruguayan Airport, the members of the Uruguayan Table Tennis Federation Roberto Miglietti and David Barnás plus from the National Olympic Committee Carlos Mazza, all welcomed me with open arms. I felt instantly at home”, she explained.

PHOTO BY URUGUAY TTF

LATIN AMERICA

Everyone was enthusiastic and the young girls in particular enjoyed playing table tennis

The goal of my course was to draw attention to the sport of table tennis and focus on its development. “The participants came from many parts of Uruguay: Soriano, San José, Colonia, Artigas, Canelones and obviously from the capital, Montevideo”, said Maria. “I had the possibility to contribute to the spreading of this sport by working with people who will now take charge in developing table tennis projects of their own.”

Understandably, the first step for Maria was to gain the confidence of the students with whom she was working but this did not take long. “In the beginning, the participants on my course had trouble in giving their honest opinion on the practical presentations that were held during the workshops”, she said. “However, in the course of the days they made huge progress and I could see that they felt PHOTO BY URUGUAY TTF

The happy faces reflect the warm welcome that Maria Häfeli received in Montivedeo

38 Development Program 2006

more confident about the methodology applied during the course and the quality of their comments was much better.”

A pleasing aspect of the course was the provision made to coach girls. “A group of girls between six and eight years old visited us; they wanted to acquire an insight into table tennis”, explained Maria, who organised for some of the students attending the course to try their skills.

“Two participants took charge of the group and they did a one hour session”, explained Maria and of course she was keen to discover as to whether the girls had enjoyed the training.

“When they finished the training they were asked to comment on how they liked table tennis”, said Maria. “One of them took the floor and said I want to continue practising table tennis and I don’t want to go to my swimming course anymore!"

The comment caused laughter amongst the coaches but of course it was high praise for their efforts; they had clearly performed well and the young lady was highly motivated.

Preferring table tennis to swimming underlined the attitude of those present and Maria was delighted with the response she had received from the students.

“I must congratulate all my pupils and sincerely wish them a great deal of success in achieving their goals”, she said. “Owing to this course they will continue with their dedication and enthusiasm in different parts of Uruguay.”

The course no doubt has had an effect on table tennis in Uruguay and Maria is looking forward to returning one day. “I hope to see them in the next course”, she smiled. “Also, I promised them that I will take Tango lessons in Zürich until then!”

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Venezuela

PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

Young players in Venezuela, a country with a structure that bodes well for the future

Venezuela A country with an innovative programme; Venezuela has its own version of the ITTF Pro Tour.

Six events are hosted annually, each in a different state to maximize table tennis exposure. Thirty-two teams of three players are selected by the national federation, with one player from the national squad of twelve men and twelve women; one player from the second group of twenty-four players and one junior. There are eight groups of four with two teams progressing to the round of sixteen, knockout stage.

Men and women play together, with three singles matches per teams match. No coaches are allowed to advise, so the players must think for themselves.

Fabiola Ramos undoubtedly the best player to emerge from Venezuela in recent years believes the competition to be of great value. “It is very good for all the players of different levels to play together in a professional environment which provides an added competitive pressure”, she said. “It’s also a great exposure for our young players and allows the women to compete at a higher intensity in regards to speed and spin".

Fabiola, had her best year in 2003, when she was Latin American, South American and Central American Champion as well as finishing thirteenth in the Women's World Cup. At the Venezuelan Championships, an event she has won nine times, her prizes include a car and an apartment.

Television and media provide good coverage of the event in excellent permanent venues. The infrastructure, finances and venues are there; it would seem it is only a matter of time before

Venezuela joins the ITTF Junior Circuit and ITTF Pro Tour.

Media coverage is essential to sport and when Glenn Tepper, ITTF Development Manager, visited in October 2005 to conduct an Olympic Solidarity Course, television was there to greet him!

“No sooner had I cleared customs, after the forty hour flight and being greeted with the warm Venezuelan hospitality, than a television crew arrived requesting an interview”, he explained. Venezuela has a well organised table tennis federation with resources and a structure that would be the envy of most federations worldwide and a model which others can follow.

The main aim of the course, which saw coaches from all twenty-four states in Venezuela attend plus two further coaches from Chile, was to introduce the new ITTF Coach Accreditation system and to train Course Conductors.

However, before the course began Glenn visited five of the

country’s twenty-four states. “Each had a sporting complex which included a large multi-purpose venue that could easily host a World Junior Circuit or ITTF Pro Tour event with a ready made infrastructure in place in each state federation”, Glenn explained. “In addition, the main sports including table tennis all have permanent venues with four or five full time coaches working, as well as a sports hotel to cater for fulltime athletes, training camps and tournaments.”

The Venezuelan Federation is headed by the highly respected Oswaldo `Papelon’ Borges, Minister of Sport for Venezuela, 1979-83 and himself a National Volleyball hero, as well as being President of the South America Table Tennis Federation (Latin America is divided into South America, Central America and Caribbean).

Meanwhile, the Technical Director of Venezuela and South America Federations is Pancho Seijas. He is the Sports Director for Caracas University whilst his mother has been the Venezuelan TTF President for twelve years; furthermore his sister has played internationally.

Pancho spent ten years in Sweden in the 1980s, an influence he draws on heavily. The Sweden connection has been strong with Venezuela regularly having Swedish Coaches such as Kjell-Åke Waldner and Christer Johansson conducting courses.

Table tennis in Venezuela has a sound organisation, the next stage is to target five thousand school children to popularise the sport at grass roots level whilst also hosting ITTF Junior Circuit and ITTF Pro Tour events.

No doubt, with the support they have from the Government, Olympic Committee and Sports Institute plus the structure and venues, they will host such events to the very highest level.

Fabiola Ramos, the leading lady in Venezuela PHOTO BY RÉMY GROS

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ITTF/LATTU Development Program Courses Country Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Barbados Barbados Barbados Bolivia Bolivia Bolivia Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Chile Chile Chile Chile Chile Chile Chile Colombia Colombia Colombia Colombia Colombia Costa Rica Costa Rica Costa Rica Costa Rica Costa Rica Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Dominica Dominica Dominica Dominica Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Ecuador Ecuador Ecuador Ecuador Ecuador El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador

Date from 18 Nov 2005 14 Apr 2004 26 Apr 2004 28 Nov 2004 01 Dec 2003 26 May 2003 10 Dec 2000 07 Sep 2005 5 Sep 2005 21 Nov 2003 25 Apr 2003 9 Oct 2002 1 Dec 2000 14 Jul 2005 5 Sep 2005 23 Mar 2005 27 Aug 2005 01 Jul 2004 03 Sep 2004 25 Aug 2004 01 Jan 2003 01 Jan 2002 21 May 2002 29 Nov 2001 25 Apr 2000 10 Jul 2004 12 Feb 2004 11 Dec 2003 6 Jan 2003 31 May 2002 29 Nov 2001 1 Dec 2001 08 Dec 2004 21 Nov 2003 01 Nov 2002 25 Mar 2001 01 Jul 2000 22 Jul 2004 1 Dec 2002 13 May 2000 12 Aug 2000 28 May 2000 04 Mar 2006 17 Apr 2005 10 Nov 2003 12 Jun 2003 25 May 2001 01 Mar 2001 09 Oct 2000 21 May 2000 20 Feb 2006 29 Jul 2003 5 Aug 2002 9 Jan 1999 21 Oct 2005 08 Nov 2002 06 Sep 2000 20 Oct 2005 13 Sep 2004 17 Sep 2003 20 Jun 2001 03 Jul 2000 8 Aug 2005 28 Jul 2005 01 Apr 2003 23 Jun 2003 23 Nov 2002 13 May 2002 26 Aug 2001 08 May 2000

40 Development Program 2006

Date to 27 Nov 2005 21 Apr 2004 30 Apr 2004 05 Dec 2004 07 Dec 2003 10 Jun 2003 18 Dec 2000 12 Sep 2005 13 Sep 2005 01 Dec 2003 05 May 2003 14 Oct 2002 08 Dec 2000 30 Jul 2005 07 Sep 2005 04 Apr 2005 04 Sep 2005 07 Jul 2004 07 Sep 2004 09 Sep 2004 31 Dec 2003 31 Dec 2002 30 May 2002 09 Dec 2001 29 Apr 2000 20 Jul 2004 23 Feb 2004 13 Dec 2003 6 Mar 2003 9 Jun 2002 10 Dec 2001 20 Dec 2001 12 Dec 2004 26 Nov 2003 07 Nov 2002 13 Apr 2001 09 Jul 2000 27 Jul 2004 7 Dec 2002 20 May 2000 30 Aug 2000 2 Jun 2000 09 Mar 2006 21 Apr 2005 20 Nov 2003 20 Jun 2003 08 Jun 2001 21 Mar 2001 14 Oct 2000 11 Jun 2000 25 Feb 2006 8 Aug 2003 5 Nov 2002 19 Jan 1999 30 Oct 2005 15 Nov 2002 26 Sep 2000 24 Oct 2005 19 Sep 2004 25 Sep 2003 6 Jul 2001 18 Jul 2000 10 Aug 2005 14 Aug 2005 09 Apr 2003 29 Jun 2003 30 Nov 2002 18 May 2002 31 Aug 2001 12 May 2000

Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Junior Training Camp Olympic Solidarity Marketing ITTF Development Project High Performance Coaching Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Regional ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity International Training CentreTraining Camp WJC Junior Training Camp International Training CentreTraining Camp International Training CentreTraining Camp ITTF Women's Course ITTF Junior Training Camp ITTF Development Project International Training Centre-1000 days International Training Centre-1000 days High Level Coaching Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project WJC Training Camp ITTF Development Project High Level Coaching Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Marketing Marketing ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Marketing Marketing ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project-ITTF Level 1 ITTF Junior Training Camp Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Women's Course Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity-ITTF Level 1 Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity DNCS Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Marketing ITTF Development Project Marketing Olympic Solidarity High Performance Coaching Course ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity WJC Junior Training Camp ITTF Development Project Marketing Olympic Solidarity Regional Marketing Olympic Solidarity High Performance Coaching Course ITTF Development Project

Expert Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Marles Martins (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Fran Camargo (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Roman Plese (HRV) Glenn Tepper (HRV) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Roman Plese (HRV) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Roman Plese [CRO] Marles Martins (BRA) Fran Camargo (BRA) Marles Martins (BRA) Marles Martins (BRA) Fran Camargo (BRA) Marles Martins (BRA) Fran Camargo (BRA) Polona Cehovin Susin (SVN) Marles Martins (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB)

Roman Plese (HRV) Fran Camargo (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Abilio Cruz (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Roman Plese (HRV) Abilio Cruz (ESP) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Marles Martins (BRA) Fran Camargo (BRA) Fran Camargo (ESP) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) David Fairholm (ENG) Fran Camargo (BRA) Fran Camargo (ESP) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Abilio Cruz (ESP) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Rodolfo Valdes (CUB) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Deng Yaping (CHN) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Richard McAfee (USA) Peter McQueen (ENG) David Fairholm (ENG) Roy Pugh (ENG) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Fran Camargo (ESP) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Fran Camargo (BRA) Abilio Cruz (ESP) Abilio Cruz (ESP) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Abilio Cruz (ESP) Emanuel Christiansson (SWE) Peter Karlsson (SWE) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Fran Camargo (BRA) Abilio Cruz (ESP) Fran Camargo (BRA) Gail McCulloch (ENG) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Evelio Alvarez (CUB)

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ITTF/LATTU Development Program Courses Country Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala Guyana Guyana Guyana Guyana Haiti Haiti Haiti Honduras Honduras Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica LATTU LATTU Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico Nicaragua Panama Panama Paraguay Paraguay Paraguay Peru Peru Peru Peru Peru Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent St. Vincent St. Vincent Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay Venezuela Venezuela Venezuela

Date from 15 Aug 2005 03 Oct 2005 12 Jul 2004 08 Mar 2002 06 Feb 2001 30 Apr 2000 16 Feb 2005 03 Aug 2002 05 Sep 2002 26 Jul 1999 25 Sep 2004 24 Jun 2004 07 Jul 2003 18 Dec 2004 26 Jan 2001 26 Sep 2004 13 Jun 2003 10 May 2002 11 Nov 1999 01 Jan 2003 01 Jan 2002 04 Oct 2004 29 Sep 2003 20 Jan 2003 20 Jul 2001 10 Jan 2002 14 Dec 2004 31 Aug 2000 8 Sep 2005 6 Feb 2002 26 Sep 2002 17 Sep 2005 30 May 2005 05 Nov 2004 15 Sep 2003 23 Aug 1999 16 Nov 2002 22 Oct 2005 15 Sep 2005 16 Aug 2004 4 Apr 1999 16 Aug 1999 22 Jul 2005 14 Jul 2002 9 Jul 2005 5 Jul 2005 1 Aug 2004 2 Aug 2004 14 Aug 2002 28 Feb 2005 15 Oct 2005 18 Nov 2001 12 Oct 2005 16 May 2004 9 May 2004

Date to 20 Aug 2005 10 Oct 2005 18 Jul 2004 11 Mar 2002 11 Feb 2001 07 May 2000 22 Feb 2005 13 Aug 2002 15 Sep 2002 07 Aug 1999 01 Oct 2004 30 Jun 2004 12 Jul 2003 21 Dec 2004 05 Feb 2001 03 Oct 2004 20 Jun 2003 20 May 2002 30 Nov 1999 31 Dec 2003 31 Dec 2002 08 Oct 2004 06 Oct 2003 25 Jan 2003 31 Jul 2001 20 Jan 2002 16 Dec 2004 05 Sep 2000 12 Sep 2005 19 Feb 2002 09 Oct 2002 26 Sep 2005 06 Jun 2005 12 Nov 2004 21 Sep 2003 27 Aug 1999 23 Nov 2002 25 Oct 2005 19 Sep 2005 25 Aug 2004 10 Apr 1999 27 Aug 1999 25 Nov 2005 28 Jul 2002 12 Jul 2005 12 Jul 2005 8 Aug 2004 6 Aug 2004 24 Aug 2002 11 Mar 2005 23 Oct 2005 30 Nov 2001 20 Oct 2005 20 May 2004 28 May 2004

Course ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Marketing ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project High Level Coaching Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Marketing ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project High Performance Coaching Course Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity My Champion School My Champion School Marketing Marketing Olympic Solidarity Regional ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Marketing ITTF Development Project Marketing Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project-Umpires High Performance Coaching Course Marketing Olympic Solidarity Marketing ITTF Development Project Marketing Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Women's Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Marketing High Performance Coaching Course ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Junior Training Camp ITTF Development Project

Costa Rica

Expert Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Marles Martins (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Fran Camargo (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Roman Plese (HRV) Roman Plese (HRV) Peter McQueen (ENG) Hubert Hustache (FRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Hubert Hustache (FRA) Fran Camargo (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Roman Plese (HRV) Roman Plese (HRV) Milivoj Karakasevic (SCG)

Fran Camargo (BRA) Fran Camargo (BRA) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Fran Camargo (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Fran Camargo (BRA) Abilio Cruz (ESP) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Marles Martins (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Roman Plese (HRV) Fran Camargo (BRA) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Fran Camargo (BRA) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Fran Camargo (BRA) Richard McAfee (USA) Derek Destang (USA) Richard McAfee (USA) Ahmed Dawlatly (EGY) Richard McAfee (USA) Branka Batinic (HRV) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Fran Camargo (BRA) Roman Plese (HRV) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Maria Isabel Vera Moyoli H채feli (SUI) Evelio Alvarez (CUB) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Marles Martins (BRA) Evelio Alvarez (CUB)

El Salvador

PHOTO BY COSTA RICA TTF

PHOTO BY EL SALVADOR TTF

2006 Development Program 41

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ITTF/LATTU Development Program Equipment Assistance Country Argentina Aruba Aruba Barbados Barbados Barbados Barbados Bolivia Brazil Chile Chile Colombia Colombia Colombia Costa Rica Costa Rica Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Dominica Dominica Dominica Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador El Salvador Grenada Grenada Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala Guyana Guyana

Year 2003 2005 2003 2005 2004 2001 2001 2003 2002 2003 2001 2005 2002 2001 2001 2004 2004 2004 2001 2001 2001 2005 2005 2002

2004 2005 2001 2005 2005 2005 2004 2001 1999 2005 2002

Event ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Latin American Championships ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement International School New Venue ITTF Agreement

ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement 2005 2001 ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Latin American Junior ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement

Peru

PHOTO BY PERU TTF

42 Development Program 2006

Supplier Tibhar ITTF Tibhar ITTF Tibhar Joola Tibhar Tibhar Tibhar Tibhar Tibhar

Tibhar Tibhar Butterfly Donation Double Fish Joola ITTF Tibhar Tibhar ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Tibhar Tibhar Tibhar ITTF ITTF Tibhar

Double Happiness Tibhar

Tables 2

Nets

Surrounds Rackets Balls Gross Scorers Umpire Tables

Other 3 ITTF manuals

15 6 20 6 8 15 15 20 6 15 20 40 6 12 20 60 40

6

80

16

6

80

16

6

80 105

16 78

120

500

60

6

80

16

30 mauals 2 robots

2 robots

12

7 ITTF manuals 6 15 Tibhar 8 6 20 6

6 20 8 6

6

6

11 20 6

11

6 15

6

12

80

80

8 16

80

16

16 2 robots

6 7 ITTF manuals 20 ITTF manuals 2 robots

8 100

16 80

16

12 10 ITTF manuals

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ITTF/LATTU Development Program Equipment Assistance Country Year Haiti 2005 Haiti 2004 Honduras 2005 Honduras 2002 Honduras 1999 Jamaica 2005 Jamaica 2003 LATTU 2004 LATTU 2001 LATTU 2001 LATTU 1999 Mexico 2005 Mexico 2002 Netherlands Antilles 2005 Netherlands Antilles 2004 Nicaragua 2003 Panama 2003 Paraguay 2003 Peru 2005 Peru 2005 Peru 2002 Puerto Rico 2003 Santa Lucia 2005 Santa Lucia 2004 St Kitts & Nevis 2005 St Kitts & Nevis 2005 St Vincent & Grenadines 2002 St Vincent & Grenadines 2005 Trinidad & Tobago 2005 Trinidad & Tobago 2005 Trinidad & Tobago 2003 Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay-LATTU Venezuela Venezuela

2005 2004 2001 2005 2005 2004

Event ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Latin American Championships ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement Computer-Miguel Delgado-LATTU ITTF Latin American Championships Latin America Championships ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement World Junior Circuit ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement

Supplier ITTF Tibhar Tibhar Tibhar

ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF-Newgy Assistance ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement

Double Happiness ITTF Tibhar ITTF Tibhar

ITTF Tibhar

Tables

Nets

6 3 15 8

6 10

Surrounds Rackets Balls Gross Scorers Umpire Tables 80

16

35

12

12 400

Other 7 ITTF manuals 2 robots 3 umpires sets

24 10 ITTF manuals

4 US$2000 computer 416

Tibhar Tibhar ITTF Tibhar Tibhar Tibhar Tibhar ITTF Double Happiness Tibhar Tibhar ITTF Tibhar ITTF Tibhar Tibhar ITTF

Newgy donation ITTF Tibhar

24 6 15

300 6

4800 80

64 16

6 8 15 9

6

80

16

6 8 5

6 8

80

16

6

6

80

16

6 9

6

80

16

6

6

80

16

260 training

7 ITTF manuals 2 robots

20 ITTF manuals 8 7 ITTF manuals 2 robots 7

20 20 9 12 20

12

5

12

20 ITTF US$2000

5500 6

6

80

16

20 ITTF manuals 2 ITTF manuals

Puerto Rico

PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

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NORTH AMERICA

“The Continental Development Funds have helped increase and focus North American projects. Camps such as the Women's Development, the Cadet camps and the Junior camps have enriched the North American calendar and created increased interaction between the two active associations.”

Bruce Burton (ITTF Continental Vice President North America) PHOTO BY TAMASU BUTTERFLY

Olena Sowers The recipient of a Butterfly Scholarship PHOTO BY TAMASU BUTTERFLY

The North American Development Plan is focused on Junior and Cadet Training Camps, High Performance Coach Education and Women's Course.

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Bermuda Greenland United States of America Canada

Chiang Hung-Chieh, ITTF Junior Scholarship holder, winner of the Stag Canadian Junior Open in August 2005 PHOTO BY MONTHLY WORLD TABLE TENNIS

North America North America is one of the most developed areas in the world and as a result the number of courses held under the auspices of the ITTF Development Program is less than in other parts of the world.

The continent comprises four national table tennis associations: Bermuda, Canada, Greenland and the United States of America.

In 2002 Glenn Tepper visited Bermuda to take an ITTF Development Project Course whilst the following year Mariann Domonkos was on duty to conduct a similar programme.

Understandably the two largest associations in North America are the United States and Canada. In 2004 Mariann Domonkos conducted an ITTF Women’s Course in Canada whilst one of the busiest coaches has been Mikael Andersson, the ITTF Global Junior Programme Manager.

In July 2001 he conducted an Olympic Solidarity Course in Canada; in 2002 he was the head coach at a Cadet Training Camp in Canada and also at a Junior Training Camp in the United States.

Meanwhile, in 2003 he was in charge of a High Performance Coaching Course and International Junior Training Camp in Canada.

Also Christian Fossy, Lily Yip, Attila Csaba, Liu Yong Jiang and Dejan Papic, have led courses and training camps.

Christian Fossy led an ITTF Women’s Course and was the coach at a Junior Training Camp in Canada in 2005 whilst

teaming with Lily Yip to run a Junior Training Camp in the United States.

Meanwhile, Lily Yip was on duty with Attila Csaba at Cadet Training Camps in the United States and in Canada in 2003 whilst in 2005, immediately prior to the ITTF World Junior Circuit event in Canada Liu Yong Jiang conducted a High Performance Coaching Course and World Junior Circuit Training Camp.

Liu Yong Jiang had also been present in 2003 at the High Performance Course working alongside Dejan Papic.

The courses organised in North America, whilst educating and raising standards have enhanced the organisational structure of table tennis in North America, a fact acknowledged by Bruce Burton, the

ITTF Continental Vice President for North America.

“The link between some of the projects such as the cadet camps, the high performance junior camps, and the Global Junior Program has helped strengthen an infrastructure in North America that was barely surviving prior to the Continental Development Program”, he said. “With some issues to overcome, the Continental Development Program may be one of the most significant projects for the development of table tennis in North America.”

A positive response and a sound endorsement for the ITTF Development Program which has had an effect in both the poorest and most affluent areas of the world, success indeed.

ITTF/NATTU Development Program Courses Country Bermuda Bermuda Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada North American Table Tennis Union USA USA USA

Date from 28 Apr 2003 28 Oct 2002 29 Jun 2005 30 Jul 2005 30 Jul 2005 22 Mar 2005 23 Aug 2004 23 Aug 2004 23 Aug 2004 21 Apr 2004 24 Aug 2003 24 Aug 2003 24 Aug 2003 31 Mar 2002 05 Jul 2001 11 Jan 2004 12 Jul 2005 02 Apr 2003 22 Jun 2002

Date to 06 May 2003 06 Nov 2002 01 Jul 2005 01 Aug 2005 01 Aug 2005 24 Mar 2005 26 Aug 2004 26 Aug 2004 26 Aug 2004 25 Apr 2004 26 Aug 2003 26 Aug 2003 26 Aug 2003 17 Apr 2002 09 Jul 2001 23 Jan 2004 21 Jul 2005 04 Apr 2003 28 Jun 2002

Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Women's Course WJC Junior Training Camp High Performance Coaching Course Cadet Training Camp High Performance Coaching Cadet Training Camp Junior Training Camp ITTF Women's Course High Performance Coaching Course Cadet Training Camp International Junior Training Camp Cadet Training Camp Olympic Solidarity International Junior Training Camp-Sweden Junior Training Camp Cadet Training Camp Junior Training Camp

Expert Mariann Domonkos (CAN) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Christian Fossy (CAN) Liu Yong Jiang (CAN) Liu Yong Jiang (CAN) Christian Fossy (CAN) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Liu Yong Jiang (CAN) Liu Yong Jiang (CAN) Mariann Domonkos (CAN) Dejan Papic (CAN) Liu Yong Jiang (CAN) Attila Csaba (CAN) Lily Yip (USA) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Mikael Andersson (CAN) Mikael Andersson (CAN) Christian Fossy (CAN) Lily Yip (USA) Attila Csaba (CAN) Lily Yip (USA) Mikael Andersson (SWE)

ITTF/NATTU Development Program Equipment Assistance Country Canada USA USA

Year 2005 2005 2004

Event ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement ITTF Agreement

Supplier ITTF ITTF ITTF

Tables

Nets

Surrounds

Rackets

Balls Gross

Scorers

Umpire Tables

Other 37 ITTF Manuals 37 ITTF Manuals 57 ITTF Manuals

2006 Development Program 45

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OCEANIA

“Oceania was the first to profit from the ITTF Development Program. The progress of the Oceania island countries has been exceptional whilst the World Junior Circuit, the Oceania Cadet Team and now the Oceania Talent Team have given our federation the opportunity to be present at the highest international level and to show that we can compete with other continental federations.�

Patrick Gillmann (ITTF Continental Vice President Oceania) PHOTO BY TAMASU BUTTERFLY

Robbie Frank of Australia, Butterfly Scholarship holder PHOTO BY MARIANN DOMONKOS

The Oceania Development Program was a pilot project for the ITTF in 1999, with a full time Development Officer conducting courses across the region. It was the first continental program. Owing to the success in Oceania, the ITTF Development Program was expanded to the other continents. A Development Officer planning and conducting courses remains the backbone of the program.

46 Development Program 2006

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“Prior to 1999, table tennis was rarely played in many Oceania countries, only four or five associations were active. However, things have now changed dramatically and Oceania table tennis now has over a dozen active national associations who are now regularly competing in regional competitions; this positive effect is a direct result of the benefits that the ITTF Development Program brings to the region.

Steve Dainton (Oceania Table Tennis Federation Development Officer)

Australia Cook Islands

PHOTO BY CARLOS ALONZO PHOTO BY MARIANN DOMONKOS

Australia Australia, Fiji, Tonga and Palau were all represented when thirty coaches participated in an Olympic Solidarity Course in July 1999 in Adelaide.

The course was very ably led by Thomas Stenberg of Sweden who covered a wide variety of technical, tactical and theoretical subjects. Extremely beneficial were the experiences of the coaches who had a wide range of diverse backgrounds, from as far afield as : China, Vietnam, Germany, Czech Republic, India, Poland and Jordan.

Breakfast was from 07.15 to 08.30 each day with the first session devoted to theory work; each classroom session lasted three hours starting at 10.00 and finishing at 13.00. The only exception was on the last day when the session finished one hour earlier, the two hours being the final session of the course and devoted to a summary of the week. Topics covered in the theory section were: Swedish table tennis organisation, reactions and movement, designing training sessions, the Swedish National Team and coaching analysis.

Lunch was eaten at 13.00 hours with the second session being from 14.30 to 17.30 on Monday and Thursday and from 18.30 to 21.30 on Tuesday and Wednesday. The session was devoted to practical work in the Fort Larg Police Academy Gymnasium with items covered including: grip, basic techniques, advanced techniques, playing styles, defensive play, multiball training and analysing the coaching of players.

A farewell dinner was held at 19.00 for all course participants on Thursday evening.

The course proved a great success with Thomas Stenberg to be congratulated for his excellent presentation plus the open and friendly manner in which he conducted the course.

A full house in the Cook Islands for table tennis

Cook Islands

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLENN TEPPER

Glenn Tepper, Thomas Stenberg, Alex Jakubczak

In August 2004, eyes were focused on the Olympic Games; however, whilst the elite athletes of the world strove for gold, the development of sport still continued in far away places.

Steve Dainton, the Oceania Development Officer, was in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands for an ITTF Development Project Course and he was very pleased with what he found.

“Two years ago the Oceania Table Tennis Federation was not aware of any table tennis in the Cook Islands,” explained Steve Dainton. “However, table tennis is played everywhere and usually it`s just no local organisation or no communication to the international table tennis world that is the problem.”

Steve Dainton had visited the Cook Islands two years previously and on his return found that table tennis had moved forward. “Now they have annual national championships, seasonal club competitions and regular practice sessions; in fact the sport has grown so much that the number of participants at the national championships had more than doubled from the previous year,” enthused Dainton. “The Men’s Team event saw sixteen entries drawn into four groups with four players in each team, whilst in the women’s competition there were two groups of four teams with two players forming a team; over seventy players, unheard of a few years ago.”

Very positive progress and in 2004 there had been more. “Furthermore, the Cook Islands participated for the first time in the Oceania Championships in May earlier this year and actually had one of the largest teams there”, Dainton continued.

“It was great exposure for the country and it is clear that the experience gained has

served them well, there is a definite increase in the skill level from my previous visit.”

Competing at international level is a step forward and the Cook Islands are most certainly a growing force in becoming a major table tennis force in Oceania.

A very encouraging situation but of course success depends on people and often on one person being the motivating force; in the Cook Islands that person is Tearoa Iorangi. “Much of the work being done is by the sport fanatic and secretary of the association, Tearoa Iorangi,” Dainton explained. “It's fair to say that none of the aforementioned achievements would have been possible if it wasn’t for the work he was doing.”

He started by helping people who just wanted to play for fun, social players but gradually the involvement deepened.

“Now he is not only the secretary for the association but he is running competitions, coaching and communicating with all the necessary people to help make the sport successful,” explained Steve Dainton.

“He has a vision to one day have a team that can be very competitive in the South Pacific.”

Talent would appear to be plentiful in the Cook Islands, there are strong clubs developing in Avarua, the capital city on the island of Rarotonga and also in Mangaia, the most southerly of the Cook Islands. Both these areas were also visited

by Mariann Domonkos in July 2005 and she found the same enthusiasm for table tennis that Steve Dainton had encountered one year earlier.

Furthermore, there are plans for further development and the islands referred to as the `Heart of Polynesia’ could soon have a new title for that part of the world, the `Heart of Polynesian Table Tennis’.

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OCEANIA

East Timor Fiji French Polynesia Kiribati

East Timor In September and October 2002 Glenn Tepper conducted a course in East Timor that was a joint project between the Oceania National Olympic Committee, Olympic Solidarity, Oceania Table Tennis Federation and the ITTF. Prior to independence in 2002, the ITTF and the Oceania Table Tennis Federation were involved in a project that both assisted in East Timor gaining Olympic status, while re-establishing table tennis in this new nation. Following funding from Olympic Solidarity, Coach Education, Training Camps, Equipment Assistance and assisting with the administration and planning for East Timor becoming a member of ITTF and Asian Table Tennis Union were all completed, resulting in ITTF/ATTU membership and assisting in East Timor gaining Olympic status.

Eyes fixed on Peter Karlsson in Fiji in 2005 PHOTO BY RAUL CALIN

However, it has not only been the hosting of events that are the reason for this award. Anthony has also been instrumental in setting up training academies and scholarships for young Fijian players with two Fijian players training in China for three weeks whilst others have had the opportunity to practise in Australia.

The efforts made have led to improved results. After failing to win a gold or silver medal at a Pacific Games for many years, in 2005, Fiji won two gold, one silver and one bronze medal, a massive improvement from just two years before.

Several ITTF Development Program activities have taken place in Fiji with Kerri Tepper, Alois Rosario, Igor Rzavsky, Glenn Tepper and Steve Dainton all conducting couses whilst Fran Keyhoe led an Umpires Course in 2001. Meanwhile, in conjunction with the ITTF World Junior Circuit a tournament and training camp under the direction of Jarek Kolodziejczk and Peter Karlsson was held in June 2005.

Fiji

48 Development Program 2006

French Polynesia French Polynesia is made up of five archipelagos plus one hundred and thirty islands. The most populous and famous island is Tahiti; it is the hub of table tennis but Moorea, Bora Bora, Raiatea, Tahaa, Huahine, as well as the Australs and Marquises archipelagos are also active.

On Tahiti, there are some sixty international standard table tennis tables, with fifteen in the permanent main stadium in Papeete. Table tennis is very active in the schools with the main stadium fully booked during school hours. The Tahiti Table Tennis Federation has been instrumental in promoting table tennis in both Tahiti and the outer islands where table tennis is also regularly played.

Meanwhile the media coverage is the envy of any nation with a weekly double PHOTO BY TAHITI TTF

Fiji, a small island nation in the South Pacific, is not well known for its table tennis. They have outstanding rugby players and the country is far better known as a tropical tourist paradise. Therefore, the fact that Anthony Ho won the National Sporting Award `Fiji Sports Administrator of the Year, 2005’ for his work as President of the Fiji Table Tennis Association is truly an amazing feat.

In the 1960s and 1970s table tennis had been quite a popular sport on the beautiful Pacific island. However, by the late 1990s table tennis in Fiji was a vanishing sport. From the 1970s to the 1990s the national table tennis association did very little to promote and develop the game within the country. However, when Anthony Ho, a former representative of the Fijian team, took over the sport earlier this decade things dramatically changed.

It has been a relatively fast rise to prominence for Anthony since the time he started to become actively involved in 2001. He realised that by hosting regional and international competitions he could showcase the sport within his country. In 2002, Fiji hosted the Oceania Table Tennis Championships and then just one year later the country was host to the South Pacific games, both recognised as fantastic events in the Pacific.

It was then in 2005 when the ITTF’s World Junior Circuit came to Fiji, their first ever international event, that Anthony and his dedicated team truly showcased table tennis. The event was a major success. It had an incredible amount of media coverage with full newspaper reports on a daily basis.

Players in Tahaa, French Polynesia

page spread in local newspapers as well as regular television and radio interviews.

The island has been assisted with their development through the ITTF Development Program with Glenn Tepper conducting courses in 1999, 2000 and 2001 whilst in 2002 Jan Berner led an ITTF Development Project course.

President of the Tahiti Table Tennis Federation Roland Sam, during this period, has been instrumental in setting up table tennis in the outer islands, often personally going to the islands to assist with coaching and development. In the Society Islands there is also the Games of `Isles du Vent’ (Windward Islands: Tahiti, Moorea) and `Isles sous le Vent’ (Leeward Islands: Bora Bora, Raiatea, Tahaa, Huahine) which boost the active tournament season in Tahiti.

School table tennis is also popular on Tahiti with their table tennis centre fully booked during school hours in addition to many schools having their own programmes and tables..

Young people playing table tennis is clearly encouraged in Tahiti and this fact was underlined in April 2005 when, as part of the Oceania Development Program, Tahiti's Junior players were involved in intensive training in an effort to be part of the team for the ITTF World Junior Circuit event in Fiji.

Also present was Glenn Tepper who conducted an ITTF Development Project Course, assistance to clubs being the principal theme; meanwhile, meetings with the Minister of Sport and planning discussions with the Tahiti Association were also held.

Kiribati Kiribati consists of a number of coral atolls spread over about one hundred thousand square kilometres, with a population of approximately eighty thousand; most of whom are concentrated on the atoll of Tarawa.

Table Tennis is predominantly played in a series of one table clubs, often outdoors, and in the case of the most active club in Kiribati , Betio, under a palm tree with a sand floor. Despite the lack of facilities, enthusiasm and talent abounds in an atoll which has no television and minimal access to computers, leaving sporting activities as the main leisure activity.

A visitor to the island in 2004 to take an Olympic Solidarity Course was Steve Dainton, the ITTF Development Officer for Oceania, who found a republic enthusiastic about table tennis but organised in a manner that caused some frustration.

“I first visited here over three years ago”, Steve Dainton explained. “At that time there were a handful of players and

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Marshall Islands New Caledonia

PHOTO KIRIBATI TTA

The Kiribati Championships in 2004

perhaps one coach with some basic knowledge, I can clearly remember a competition I organised; it was due to start at 9.00 am with twenty players but didn’t start until 2.00 pm with only ten entrants.”

Three years on there had been progress but Dainton was still somewhat frustrated.

“In 2004, the competition was due to start at 9.00am but didn’t get under way until 9:30am”', Dainton added. “There was supposed to be a hundred participants but three teams didn’t show up, so there were only eighty-eight; the event was timed, which to me seems quite strange considering time does not seem to mean anything here, yet incredibly they were almost on schedule!”

Officials were appointed to run the competition and as Steve Dainton found out competition was quite intense. “The best part is that the standard is relatively strong”, he said. “There are now five or six active coaches that have formed somewhat of a rivalry; most players serve with good degree of spin and try to attack the third ball with heavy top spin; although I am frustrated it is hard to look past the huge improvement that has been made in such a short time.”

Certainly, Kiribati is making progress and the progress is quite noticeable as Dainton explained: “Sixteen year old Freddy Choy was selected for the Oceania Junior Talent Team that went to Sweden earlier in 2004; also he was very competitive at the recent Oceania Championships, losing a very close match to David Zalcberg of Australia.”

Furthermore, there is a young female player Atea Tetabo who was selected for the Oceania Team that competed in the World Cadet Challenge in Portugal in 2004 which is quite an achievement for an island where life can be quite difficult and there is no tradition of excellence in table tennis.

In 2000 Glenn Tepper conducted an ITTF Development Project Course in Kiribati and also the island received equipment assistance with eight table tennis tables

being donated by the Chinese Government.

Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands, like Kiribati, is part of Micronessia with the population concentrated on the atoll of Majuro. Table tennis is also active on the atolls of Kwajalein and Ebeye where the National Team members are based. Facilities are limited with table tennis often being played on planks of wood but in order to try to alleviate the equipment problem, the Chinese Taipei Goverrnment donated four tables in 2000 and sponsored a coach for twelve months.

Two ITTF Development Project Courses have been staged in the Marshall Islands, the first in 2000 with Glenn Tepper as the expert, the second in 2002 when Steve Dainton was on duty.

The Marshall Islands officially became an Olympic Committee in 2005 with table tennis one of the five required sports, so further progress is anticipated in the coming years

New Caledonia New Caledonia is situated three hours east of the Australian mainland; it is tropical paradise that since 1990 has developed into a a very active table tennis nation.

In 1999 they had recently completed renovations to their stadium which includes six international size courts with Taraflex flooring and is big enough to have twenty-four tables for junior training.

The President of the Association,

Patrick Gillmann, has the full support of the New Caledonia Government-South Province, the French Ministry of Sport and the French Table Tennis Federation who allow them to hold an international tournament on a biennial basis in which the French team compete.

Players from New Caledonia regularly play in France and New Zealand and compete at Oceania and World Championships whilst at the South Pacific Games they have been the dominant force. Raoul Rainouard, a national hero with fourteen South Pacific Games Gold Medals, including a clean sweep of all four Gold Medals on offer in Guam in 1999, is the National Coach. Not only is he responsible for the national team, he is also responsible for development at grass roots level and during in the summer of 1999 alongside Glenn Tepper organised a training camp as part of the ITTF Development Program.

Each day, fifty beginners trained in the morning with another one hundred and fifty missing out owing to the heavy bookings. A further fifty intermediate juniors trained in the afternoons, while the national junior team prepared in the evening.

Meanwhile, in September 2002 fifty players attended coaching sessions held in New Caledonia under the direction of French coach Isabelle Thibaud. An ITTF Development Project, the sessions were held at the two main centres, Koumac and Nouméa with Raoul Rainouard assisting.

Three years later in 2005, Steve Dainton was the coach on duty and found the table tennis centre in Noumea a hive of activity. “During school hours it is full with school groups that come for sport activities or physical education classes; after school it is packed with young enthusiasts who hope to achieve higher goals”, said Steve Dainton. “New Caledonia's main table tennis man Raoul Raiouard who starts several mornings at 7.00am and finishes at 8.00pm,.”

Many countries in the South Pacific are jealous about the state of table tennis in New Caledonia; They are successful, they have support from France and the economic environment is stronger in New Caledonia than in most South Pacific countries. Nevertheless none of their achievements and progress would be possible without the hard work of Raoul Rainouard and Patrick Gillmann who is from Koumac. He is the first person to be elected as the ITTF Continental Vice President for Oceania and not come from either Australia or New Zealand.

Raoul Rainouard national coach of New Caledonia PHOTO COURTESY OF GLENN TEPPER

2006 Development Program 49

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OCEANIA

New Zealand

The North Shore World Junior Championships Committee

New Zealand In July and August 1999 Glenn Tepper conducted an ITTF Development Project Course in New Zealand and found that the country famed for its rugby players was also buoyant in the sport of table tennis.

They have met with international success; In 1991 New Zealand finished in sixteenth place in the Women’s Team event at the World Championships whilst Li Chunli had consistently been in the top twenty women for many years and Peter Jackson had maintained a creditable world ranking over a long period.

Also, during the visit in 1999 when Glenn Tepper concentrated on Coaching Seminars for Coaches, Regional Junior Training Camps, Club Coaching and Schools Clinics, he found that New Zealand Table Tennis was very active.

The Auckland Table Tennis Association employed former international Richard Lee as their full-time coach. Meanwhile, Nelson has a Table Tennis Academy with residential facilities and holds a wide range of training camps and coaching sessions.

Furthermore, North Shore and Invercargill Associations both have Development Officers working on `grass-roots’ schools development and many associations throughout New Zealand have permanent table tennis venues. There are twenty tables at both Auckland and North Shore, twelve at Lower Hutt and Christchurch, ten at Wellington, Whangerei, Invercargill and Dunedin and four at the Nelson Academy whilst there are several other facilities used on a shared basis.

The situation which Glenn Tepper discovered illustrates that the potential to succeed at a higher level exists and when Steve Dainton visited in November 2005 he was of no doubt that Table Tennis New Zealand was moving forward.

“They have a highly motivated team of coaches and administrators with a strategic vision; furthermore, they will be staging the World Junior Table Tennis Championships in 2008”, he said. “I feel that something exciting was just around the corner for table tennis in the small nation of only four million people.

Mike Loftus, the Chief Executive Officer, believes the potential for table tennis in New Zealand is exciting. “We are developing a strong coaching structure, we have an excellent infrastructure, we have a growing Asian population which means more participation in the sport and most importantly we have a highly motivated board”, he said. “So, I am quite confident New Zealand can one day be a table tennis force to be reckoned with.”

Furthermore, they would seem to have

50 Development Program 2006

PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

PHOTO BY RÉMY GROS

Schools coaching in Timaru, South Island, in 1999

formulated a base that has every chance of bringing success. “Importantly, we have just developed our strategic plan for the next five years, which includes starting a Table Tennis Academy within the next three years”, Loftus continued.

“Competing in more international competitions and hosting more and more international competitions is also envisaged.”

After seeing this presentation Steve Dainton felt confident that everyone was inspired to reach such goals.

Another person who is working hard for the future is Table Tennis New Zealand’s High Performance Manager and Coaching Director John Stapleton. He was the man responsible for Table Tennis New Zealand winning the right to host the World Junior Championships in 2008, as well as Oceania’s first World Junior Circuit event in 2003. In addition to his role with the national association, he is the Manager of North Shore Table Tennis where the Junior World Championships will be held.

“We have coaching as one of the highest priorities right now, we need to develop an elite group of coaches if we hope to achieve our goal”, he stated. “In fact we are very happy with the ITTF Coaching Accreditation System and we are aligning our system to the ITTF one.”

Certainly, this was the reason why Steve Dainton was in New Zealand, he was conducting their first ever ITTF Level One Coaching Course and to describe the course as successful would be an understatement. Twenty seven participants joined the inaugural course and all felt it

was a very useful starting point on their pathway for further coaching knowledge.

However, for Steve Dainton, it was the atmosphere created during the course that was the most exciting factor. “I had a feeling that these coaches shared a vision for table tennis in New Zealand”, he said.

“Also, their attendance at the course was just a small step in their progress to become elite level coaches and to one day be part of an organisation that hopes to see their players compete at the highest levels.”

Meanwhile, Poland’s Jarek Kolodziejczyk also visited New Zealand in 2005, he was there in June and like Steve Dainton was very pleased with the structures being put in place.

A long term plan to make New Zealand competitive on the world scene has been formulated; the principal aims being to establish a New Zealand Table Tennis Academy linked to one of the best schools in the country, whilst also appointing National and Regional Coaches plus Development Officers in order to increase participation and raise standards.

Part of the strategy has been to adopt the ITTF Coach Accreditation system which has put the national association ahead of many sports in New Zealand that do not have such programmes in place.

“Obviously to make it into the elite of international table tennis will take a mammoth effort”, concluded Steve Dainton.

“However, with the group of people who have the thinking vision, I have a feeling that they just may do that.”

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Palau

Olympic Solidarity Course, Palau 1999

Promoting table tennis in Palau, coaches visit schools to increase interest

PHOTO BY PALAU TTA

PHOTO BY PALAU TTA PHOTO BY GRAEME IRELAND

there was no clean sweep.

Three gold medals eluded their grasp.

Vanuatu (Emmeline Clochard, Anolyn Lulu, Kerry Mok, Priscilla Tommy) won the Women’s Team event whilst Fiji clinched two titles with Qu Rujuan winning the Women's Singles and partnering Richel Sen to success in the Mixed Doubles.

Four gold medals were to return to New Caledonia. Frédéric Quach won the Men's Singles, he partnered Laurent Villeminot to success in the Men's Doubles and alongside Nicolas Ambrosini, Vincent Dey, Anthony Rainouard and Laurent Villeminot captured the Men's Team event.

Meanwhile, the fourth gold medal came in the Women’s Doubles where Laura Arnaud and Alexandra Heraclide prevailed, beating the Vanuatu duo of Anolyn Lulu and Priscilla Tommy at the final hurdle.

“The fact that other countries have now closed the gap on the top teams meant that the competition was tighter than in other South Pacific competitions; it was fantastic”, enthused Steve Dainton.

“Also, it was good to see the large number of young players competing.”

Certainly a very good sign for the future. “Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji all had quite young teams with many junior players and even some cadets in their squads.” added Steve Dainton. “The two singles silver medallists, Priscilla Tommy and Richel Sen, can start to look forward positively to the next Games as they are considerably younger than the players who won the gold medals.”

"Overall, the 7th South Pacific Mini Games proved a great step forward for the sport in our region", explained Steve Dainton who was in no doubt that the ITTF Development Program and the ITTF Global Junior Programme are having a major effect.

Certainly, there is progress in the South Pacific; the policies initiated by the International Table Tennis Federation are taking effect and the debut of table tennis at the 7th South Pacific Mini Games had proved an unmitigated success.

Palau In 1999, 2000 and 2001, Glenn Tepper visited Palau to conduct Olympic Solidarity Courses which included coaching, tournament organisation and officiating as well as producing development programmes and visits to local schools.

Table tennis was very much in its infancy but the large number of children playing the sport on any available piece of wood in the villages and the enthusiasm shown by the Olympic Solidarity Course participants, suggested that Palau was set to achieve greater heights.

In 2005 those heights were realised when the 7th South Pacific Mini Games were staged in Koror, Palau from Monday 25th July to Thursday 4th August 2005.

The South Pacific Mini Games are staged every four years (2001,2005,2009), a smaller version of the South Pacific Games which are also held every four years (2003,2007). The event in Palau may not have attracted the world’s greatest athletes but the table tennis events were full of interesting matches and promising young players were clearly starting to emerge.

Steve Dainton, the Oceania Development Officer, was present at the Games and was pleased to see that for the first time, table tennis was included in the programme.

“Table tennis was there thanks largely to the efforts of Glenn Tepper, the former Oceania Development Officer and was definitely one of the best represented and pre-

sented sports in Palau”, explained Dainton.

“It was excellent considering that the event was held in a region of the Pacific which has much United States influence and as a result means the sport struggles to find popularity against more publicised American sports, like baseball and basketball.”

The problem, of course, that exists in the developing parts of the world is finance and this caused some absentees in Palau. “Some of the more traditional table tennis associations were not able to attend owing to the huge costs of airfares needed to fly to Palau”, explained Dainton.

However, nine countries participated: The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, New Caledonia, The Republic of the Marshall Islands, Palau, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

The name that stands out amongst the nine countries in terms of table tennis success is New Caledonia; they have dominated matters in the South Pacific for over two decades with Tahiti, not present in Palau, being the main rivals. Therefore, New Caledonia started as favourites to capture the lion’s share of the medals but times are changing in the South Pacific.

"I knew it would not be easy for New Caledonia; the ITTF Development Program has made great strides in many countries like Fiji, Kiribati and Vanuatu”, explained Dainton. “So, I was quite sure New Caledonia would face some major challenges from these countries.” New Caledonia still dominated. It was the country with the greatest depth of talent but

PHOTO BY PALAU TTA

Women’s Doubles Finalists, 2005: Anolyn Lulu, Laura Arnaud, Priscilla Tommy, Alexandra Heraclide

Improvisation in Palau in 1999

2006 Development Program 51

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Samoa Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa, has a population of one hundred and sixty thousand and has been an independent country since 1962. The country consists of two main islands; it is Polynesia at its purest and most traditional.

Outside of the capital, Apia, most people still live in traditional open sided houses called `fales’ and follow the traditional Samoan way of life known with many living a subsistence lifestyle of catching fish and growing tarot.

Villages are spotlessly clean, with magnificent displays of local flora and grass areas kept trim and tidy by machete wielding youngsters at dusk most evenings. It is still quite common that visitors will be invited into a village fale and treated as an honoured guest, sharing a meal with an offer to stay overnight.

Table tennis is being played again in Samoa after a period of inactivity; with the church exerting such a strong influence in the South Pacific Islands, one denomination is often given the task of administrating a sport but having it open to all. In Samoa, the push for table tennis is led by the Seventh Day Adventists under the leadership of the President, June Ryan and Secretary, Alfred Hunt.

Samoa now has nine qualified Oceania Level One Coaches and nine Oceania Umpires. Development Project Courses were conducted by Glenn Tepper in 2000 and by Steve Dainton in both 2003 and 2005.

The schools programme is conducted on any and every possible table and piece of wood but despite the lack of equipment the enthusiasm of the children was not diminished. Basically, every table is a table

PHOTO BY SOLOMON ISLANDS TTA

OCEANIA

A positive and happy mood in the Solomon Islands

ers allowed outside Honiara; however; you would never guess it from the broad smiles on some of the friendliest people on the planet earth.

The national sport is soccer but since 2000 table tennis has experienced a revival. Olympic Solidarity and ITTF Development Project Courses in the Solomon Islands were led by Glenn Tepper in 1999 and in 2001, whilst in 2003 Steve Dainton visited the island. He was followed two years later in 2005 by his successor in the role of Oceania Development Officer, Surendra Suwal. who was the expert on duty for an ITTF Development Project Course.

Undoubtedly, the revival in table tennis has been greeted with much enthusiasm, with eighteen participants completing the Oceania Level One Coaching Course and sixteen fulifilling the Oceania Umpires Certificate.

A national tournament, as well as a primary school tournament was conducted in addition to the Coaches and Umpires Courses. Table tennis, as in Samoa, is played on any available piece of wood, but does little to dampen enthusiasm.

tennis table.

Innovation is essential in parts of the world like Samoa where the average wage is around US$30 per week, so demonstrating that table tennis can be played on a variety of modified tables was an essential feature of the ITTF Development Program Courses.

However, Samoa has received equipment assistance thanks to the support given by Tamasu Butterfly to the Oceania Development Program. Every country visited (up to twelve per year) receives twenty rackets, two gross of balls and two nets and post sets. It is often the only good quality equipment in the country.

Solomon Islands The Solomon Islands consist of no less than nine hundred and ninety-two islands; the largest island, Guadalcanal, hosting the capital Honiara, where government, commerce and tourism are based.

Guadalcanal has experienced problems with ethnic tension, with only peace keepPHOTO BY SAMOA TTA

The Schools Programme in Samoa, playing on makeshift tables

52 Development Program 2006

Vanuatu The Republic of Vanuatu is a tiny nation in the South Pacific of some two hundred thousand inhabitants; the home of magnificent beaches, clear waters, coral reefs and shipwrecks.

It is ideal for water sports but one of the fastest growing sports on the island is table tennis. The Vanuatu Table Tennis Federation has made great progress in the Pacific region in the past few years. At the South Pacific Games in 2004 they won one gold medal, two silvers and a bronze.

Furthermore, the women’s team gained bronze at the 2005 Oceania Championships, taking a match from the more highly rated New Zealand team whilst also dominating the Women’s South Pacific Cup team event.

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The progress is largely thanks to the President of the Vanuatu Table Tennis Federation, Mok Tsi Wei; ever since he became President he has had the dream of regional success. A successful business man in Vanuatu he knows what he wants and does what is needed to achieve the goal.

In 1994 he held a practice session one Saturday morning. It was well attended but after the initial enthusiasm numbers dwindled to a hard core of three players; one of those being Emmaline Lulu.

However, they discovered that a Chinese lady, Mrs Wong, was living on the island of Santo. Mok Tsi Wei brought his daughter, Kerry Ann, and Emmaline Lulu brought in her sister Anolyn and brother Ham to Mrs Wong's home to play table tennis. Mok Tsi Wei's son Gordon soon joined and numbers started to grow, Mok Tsi Wei provided tables, balls, food, transport and money.

In 1995 Vanuatu entered the South Pacific Games in Tahiti with understandably modest results; however, since that first excursion into international table tennis the team has made great progress. In 2003 they won the gold medal in the Women's Team event at the South Pacific Games and the following year a bronze medal came their way at the Oceania Championships. It was the boost they needed.

No longer is it just the members of Mok Tsi Wei’s and Emmaline Lulu’s families who play table tennis in Vanuatu; they are still the stalwarts but there is a group of young players who are improving very quickly.

Leading the young pretenders are twelve year old Yoshua Shing and two thirteen year olds Lyn Pareia Daniels and Priscilla Lulu; furthermore, they are dedicated, training two hours a day, six days a week.

Using his own financial resources plus the help of the Chinese government and more recently major support from the Vanuatu Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee, major achievements have now been possible.

The Chinese government has sent a Chinese coach to work with the national team for the past eight years. The coach comes on a two year contract before being replaced. The fourth coach to arrive was Liu Ming Zhong and he has undoubtedly enjoyed the most success.

In 2005, the Vanuatu Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee created a programme named, National Olympic Development Squads in which table

PHOTO BY VANUATU TTF

Samoa Solomon Islands Vanuatu

Ready to leave for a coaching session in Vanuatu

tennis is included; table tennis receives annual major support in its quest to have an athlete at the Olympic Games.

Furthermore, with the help of the International Table Tennis Federation, Anolyn Lulu has been appointed Development Officer and is currently promoting table tennis in the schools in the capital, Vila.

Meanwhile, a development plan for 20052008 has now been formulated, the aim being to reach the outer islands, promote small groups and find players who can eventually compete with their counterparts in Asia and Europe.

Interest in table tennis is now so high that the small hall where they practise everyday is fully packed with players. There are just not enough tables for everyone and many of the young players show great potential.

It seems likely that the Chinese government will help build a new table tennis stadium for the federation; also, the Oceania Table Tennis Federation and the Vanuatu National Olympic Committee intend to support the employment of a National Development Officer to help promote the sport throughout the whole country and to the wider community.

The indefatigable, Mok Tsi Wei has worked extremely hard and his efforts are starting to pay off but still he wants more success. In his small club he has a sign reading: “A bronze medal in 1995, silver in 1999 and gold in the 2003 South Pacific Games, so what next?” More medal success is no doubt the answer.

There is little doubt that there are greater goals ahead; the basic ingredients are in place and in Vanuatu table tennis has an exciting future.

Yoshua Shing of Vanuatu, he represented Oceania at the World Cadet Challenge in 2005 PHOTO BY CARLOS ALONZO

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ITTF/OTTF Development Program Courses Country American Samoa Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Cook Islands Cook Islands Cook Islands Cook Islands Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji French Polynesia French Polynesia French Polynesia French Polynesia French Polynesia F.S. Micronesia F.S. Micronesia F.S. Micronesia F.S. Micronesia Guam Guam Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati Marshall Islands Marshall Islands New Caledonia New Caledonia New Caledonia New Caledonia New Caledonia New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand Niue Niue Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariannas Palau Palau Palau Palau Palau

Date from 01 Feb 2006 07 Aug 2004 26 Aug 2004 02 Aug 2004 07 Sep 2003 09 Jan 2003 07 Jan 2001 08 Jan 2000 11 Jul 1999 21 May 2005 28 May 2005 10 Aug 2004 01 Aug 2003 25 Jun 2005 08 Dec 2005 24 Jun 2005 06 Apr 2004 04 Oct 2004 20 Mar 2003 01 Feb 2002 28 Jun 2002 01 Jan 2002 11 Jul 2001 30 Apr 2000 02 Apr 2005 25 Feb 2002 13 Feb 2001 03 Mar 2000 16 Feb 1999 13 Oct 2004 30 Oct 2003 19 Apr 1999 11 Apr 1999 03 Oct 2004 14 Nov 2003 24 Nov 2005 01 Jan 2005 12 Jun 2005 06 Jul 2004 01 Jan 2004 01 Jan 2003 01 Jan 2002 15 Jan 2002 23 Aug 2002 17 Aug 2000 04 Sep 2002 02 Aug 2000 07 Jul 2005 16 May 2004 01 Sep 2001 25 May 2000 26 Aug 1999 10 Jun 2005 17 Nov 2005 24 Apr 2004 19 Sep 2003 06 Jan 2002 02 Feb 2002 08 Jun 2001 05 Oct 2000 21 Jul 1999 22 Aug 2002 01 Jul 2001 16 Oct 1999 05 Dec 1999 07 Nov 2003 01 Jan 2005 25 Jul 2005 02 Jul 2005 10 Nov 2004 01 Jan 2004

54 Development Program 2006

Date to 05 Feb 2006 08 Aug 2004 31 Aug 2004 06 Aug 2004 12 Sep 2003 12 Feb 2003 06 Feb 2001 01 Feb 2000 16 Jul 1999 27 May 2005 07 Jun 2005 22 Aug 2004 18 Aug 2003 28 Jun 2005 14 Dec 2005 02 Jul 2005 14 Apr 2004 08 Oct 2004 02 Apr 2003 14 Feb 2002 30 Jun 2002 31 Dec 2002 18 Jul 2001 11 May 2000 15 Apr 2005 14 Mar 2002 13 Mar 2001 26 Mar 2000 25 Feb 1999 17 Oct 2004 06 Nov 2003 01 May 1999 01 May 1999 12 Oct 2004 20 Nov 2003 24 Jan 2006 31 Dec 2005 20 Jun 2005 19 Jul 2004 31 Dec 2004 31 Dec 2003 31 Dec 2002 30 Jan 2002 01 Sep 2002 29 Aug 2000 16 Sep 2002 17 Aug 2000 12 Jul 2005 18 May 2004 24 Sep 2001 28 May 2000 13 Sep 1999 23 Jun 2005 21 Nov 2005 16 May 2004 21 Sep 2003 31 Jan 2002 03 Feb 2002 18 Jun 2001 21 Oct 2000 21 Aug 1999 29 Aug 2002 15 Jul 2001 31 Oct 1999 20 Dec 1999 14 Nov 2003 31 Dec 2005 05 Aug 2005 06 Aug 2005 20 Nov 2004 31 Dec 2004

Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Women's Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project WJC Junior Training Camp ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Women's Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Oceania Training Camp Development Officer ITTF Umpires Course ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity-DNSS Development Officer Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Development Officer Development Officer Development Officer ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF World Junior Circuit Training Camp ITTF Development Project Oceania Training Camp ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project High Performance Coaching Course ITTF Development Project Umpires ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Development Officer ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Development Officer

Expert Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Hubert Hustache (FRA) Steve Dainton (AUS) Jan Berner (SWE) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Thomas Stenberg (SWE) Mariann Domonkos (CAN) Mariann Domonkos (CAN) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Peter Karlsson (SWE) Alois Rosario (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Kerri Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Igor Rzavsky (SVK) Fran Keyhoe (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper [AUS] Jan Berner (SWE) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Surendra Suwal (NEP) Taraia Mwaitonga (KIR) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Taraia Mwaitonga (KIR) Bwebwe Kaureta (KIR) Bwebwe Kaureta (KIR) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Mariann Domonkos (CAN) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Isabelle Thibaud (FRA) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Jarek Kolodziejczyk (POL) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Mikael Andersson (SWE) Jan Berner (SWE) Phil Males (AUS) James Morris (NZL) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton [AUS] Jemmy Watanabe (PLW) Steve Dainton (AUS) Surendra Suwal (NEP) Steve Dainton (AUS) Jemmy Watanabe (PAL)

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ITTF/OTTF Development Program Courses Country Palau Palau Palau Palau Palau Palau Palau Samoa Samoa Samoa Samoa Solomon Solomon Solomon Solomon Sweden Tonga Tonga Tonga Tonga Tonga Tonga Tuvalu Tuvalu Tuvalu Vanuatu Vanuatu Vanuatu Vanuatu Vanuatu Vanuatu Vanuatu

Date from 15 Oct 2003 01 Jan 2003 21 Nov 2002 01 Jan 2002 18 May 2001 01 Apr 2000 02 May 1999 28 Jan 2006 05 Feb 2006 30 Nov 2003 17 Jun 2000 29 Mar 2005 05 Jun 2003 05 Sep 2001 08 Nov 1999 11 Jan 2004 24 May 2005 01 Jan 2003 01 Jan 2002 11 Aug 2002 16 Jul 2001 27 Sep 1999 15 Dec 2005 01 Jul 2003 24 Sep 2002 01 Jan 2005 02 Apr 2005 01 Jan 2004 22 Jul 2004 24 May 2003 24 Feb 2003 04 Mar 1999

Islands Islands Islands Islands

Date to 29 Oct 2003 31 Dec 2003 06 Dec 2002 31 Dec 2002 03 Jun 2001 17 Apr 2000 15 May 1999 01 Feb 2006 11 Feb 2006 10 Dec 2003 05 Jul 2000 10 Apr 2005 13 Jun 2003 20 Sep 2001 23 Nov 1999 23 Jan 2004 04 Jun 2005 31 Dec 2003 31 Dec 2002 22 Aug 2002 29 Jul 2001 15 Oct 1999 22 Dec 2005 31 Dec 2003 07 Oct 2002 31 Dec 2005 12 Apr 2005 31 Dec 2004 05 Aug 2004 06 Jun 2003 01 Mar 2003 13 Mar 1999

Course Olympic Solidarity Development Officer Olympic Solidarity Development Officer Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity Oceania Junior Talent Team Training Camp Olympic Solidarity Development Officer Development Officer ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project ITTF Development Project Development Officer ITTF Development Project Development Officer ITTF Development Project Development Officer Olympic Solidarity Olympic Solidarity ITTF Development Project Olympic Solidarity

Expert Steve Dainton (AUS) Jemmy Watanabe [PLW] Steve Dainton (AUS) Jemmy Watanabe (PLW) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Surendra Suwal (NEP) Steve Dainton (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Steve Dainton [AUS] Karen Li [AUS] Alan Pedley (NZL) Manumanu Pepe (TGA) Manumanu Pepe (TGA) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Glenn Tepper (AUS) Alois Rosario (AUS) Igor Rzavsky (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Anolyn Lulu (VAN) Alois Rosario (VAN) Anolyn Lulu (VAN) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Steve Dainton (AUS) Alois Rosario (AUS)

ITTF/OTTF Development Program Equipment Assistance Country

Year

Australia

2004

Event ITTF Agreement

Supplier

Tables

Nets

Surrounds Rackets Balls Gross Scorers Umpire Tables

ITTF

Other 123 ITTF manuals

Cook Islands

2005

Butterfly Anniversary Donation

Butterfly

Cook Islands

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

10 ITTF manuals

F.S. Micronesia 2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

5 ITTF manuals

Fiji

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

20 ITTF manuals

Fiji

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Fiji

2002

Oceania Championships

Stag

French Polynesia 2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

21 ITTF manuals

Guam

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

10 ITTF manuals

Guam

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Guam

2004

ITTF Agreement

Butterfly Donation

Kiribati

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Kiribati

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Kiribati

2004

ITTF Agreement

Butterfly Donation

New Caledonia 2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

New Zealand

2004

Oceania Championships

Stag

New Zealand

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Palau

2005

South Pacific Mini Games

Stag

Palau

5

5

22 ITTF manuals 8

8

150

4

8

10 ITTF manuals 6

6 47 ITTF manuals 10 ITTF manuals

6

6

8

8

150

8

8

8

8

8

150

8

8

8

8 ITTF manuals 110 ITTF manuals

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Solomon Islands 2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

South Pacific Islands 2003

Butterfly

South Pacific Islands 2002 South Pacific Islands 2001 South Pacific Islands 2000

Butterfly

South Pacific Islands 1999

Butterfly

Tonga

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

Tonga

2005

ITTF Agreement

Stag

Tuvalu

2005

ITTF Agreement

Tuvalu

2003

Vanuatu

2005

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

20 ITTF manuals

Vanuatu

2004

ITTF Agreement

ITTF

10 ITTF manuals

10 ITTF manuals 10 ITTF manuals 3

240

24

Butterfly

220

37

Butterfly

120

20

8

120

14

20

220

20 15 ITTF manuals

4

4

4

4

ITTF Stag

10 ITTF manuals

2006 Development Program 55

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SPECIAL PROJECTS

PHOTO BY POLONA CEHOVIN SUSIN

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PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

ISHRAQ PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

Willing To Learn on the Ishraq Program

A Successful Joint Project Ishraq, `Safe Places for Girls to Learn, Play and Grow’, is a joint project involving the Population Council, Save the Children, Egypt TTA and ITTF. The objective is to transform the ways in which girls perceive themselves and their communities' view of them.

Ishraq aims at bringing lifestyle changes to the girls and women of rural Egypt and is a unique mixture of literacy, life skills training and, for girls who have been sheltered in domestic situations of poverty and isolation, a chance to play sport with other girls of a similar age.

It is a programme that uses sport as a vehicle to break the cycle for young girls in rural villages of being circumcised and married into a life of menial field work and home duties; usually by the age of sixteen.

Design The program is designed to ensure that participating girls:

......Have fun in a safe and activity-based environment ......Enhance feelings of self-worth and self-confidence ......Acquire skills in a wide range of recreational activities ......Learn information and attitudes to help them live safer lives ......Maintain mental and physical health ......Develop lasting friendships

Targets The work is completed in close consultation with the village community leaders as their support is critical to the success of the programmes. The program targets two main groups: ......Out of school adolescent girls between the ages of eleven and fifteen who live in conservative Egyptian rural communities ......Educated rural girls aged eighteen to twenty-five who are trained as `Sports Promoters’ to implement programs which

besides sport include: literacy, numeracy, financial skills, legal literacy, health awareness and community services.

Sports Promoters Following the pilot program of ten sports, table tennis was targeted as the only sport which all `Sports Promoters’ will be trained; the reasons being: ......The enormous success of the two introductory courses in table tennis made during the pilot phase ......The relative ease with which table tennis can be played ......The commitment demonstrated by ITTF and Egypt TTA

Expansion The Ishraq programme has proved to be a resounding success and is to be developed further. It will be expanded to over sixty villages across three municipalities in 2006.

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ISHRAQ PHOTO BY TAMASU BUTTERFLY

ITTF Involvement

Khaled El-Salhy who helped make Ishraq a success

Women Promoters learning their skills

PHOTO BY TAMASU BUTTERFLY

Table tennis first became involved in 2003, when ITTF President Adham Sharara initiated contact with the Population Council and offered the services of the ITTF, the programme fitting very closely with the ideals of the `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls’ Program.

The Egypt TTA conducted the initial in service session with the association’s president, Khaled El Salhy, together with national coaches, Ibrahem Gouda and Gamal Zeinham.

The ITTF presented the `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls' Program to the promoters and it was greeted with an overwhelmingly positive response; the scheme following the ideals of the Ishraq Program: ......Maximum participation with minimal equipment ......Fun, activity and learning ......KIS - keep it simple, including simple competition formats that emphasise participation rather than winning ......Humanitarian messages and values in the course

Course In 2003 a two day course was held in the villages of Upper Egypt, close to El Minya, in a place lost in time. `Promoters' from five villages attended the course; the ITTF donated ten tables to the program and the Egypt TTA supplied the rackets and balls from their ITTF/ATTF allocation at

58 Development Program 2006

PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

the African Championships.

An outdoor session, with fifty of the target group girls was the highlight. All were dressed in brightly coloured clothing and the look of joy transcended the language barrier. It made the project special for all. The fact that everyone was outside on dusty ground with one table between fifty girls mattered little.

There was plenty of activity for all and the enjoyment was evident.

Next Stage The next stage of the project was to include translating the ITTF’s `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls' Program into Arabic; targeting leaders from the `promoters’ to take the program to a wider audience and looking at the making of tables and rackets in the villages as a community project.

Nadia Zibani from the Population Council and Sanya El-Aroussy working part-time with the ITTF dedicated many hours of hard work in preparing and co-ordinating the visit, whilst Khaled El-Salhy, Ibrahem Gouda and Gamal Zeinham from Egypt Table Tennis Association also merited congratulations for making the visit such a success.

El Basateen The second part of the visit to Egypt was to the low income area of ElBasateen in Cairo. The slow journey

into El Basateen on the bumpy dirt roads with donkeys pulling carts and crumbling buildings all around, brought Glenn Tepper and colleagues to a door way, behind which was a small four table table tennis `parlour'.

The coach was Fouad Gaafar, the former mentor of ITTF President, Adham Sharara who related a story of a tenacious young Sharara winning the final match at the Egypt National Club Championships with a fighting final game victory.

Street Children Fouad had started this `parlour' over twenty-five years ago to assist the street children of the area with a worthwhile activity.

On a recent visit, Adham met Fouad and was disappointed that the venue had fallen into disuse and his former coach had lost his energy to continue; help was at hand, the ITTF provided three table tennis tables and the El Basateen Club re-opened.

On his visit, Glenn Tepper watched a group of young players in action from the nearby Maadi Club and was suitably impressed.

Several beginner and elite rackets donated by Tamasu Butterfly for the ITTF Development Program were distributed during the session. Naturally, they were very much appreciated and the smiles on the faces of the recipients quite simply made the whole venture most worthwhile.

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Ishraq Expands in 2004 In 2004, Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports donated thirty table tennis tables in liaison with the Egyptian Table Tennis Association in order to enable the Ishraq program to expand.

Ishraq, having completed a three year pilot program under the direction of Egypt’s El Minia Governorate was ready to grow.

Plans were formulated for the scheme to be extended into three Upper Egyptian governorates; the aim being to reach a total of four thousand eight hundred girls in one hundred and twenty villages over a three year period.

The individual sport selected for expansion continued to be table tennis and the generous donation of table tennis equipment had become an official part of the new Ishraq sports activities programme.

“The smiling faces of the beneficiaries, the motivation and energy of the promoters and the interest generated worldwide from showing the Ishraq video, all point to this being a very worthwhile project”, said Glenn Tepper. “One that can be implemented on a larger scale in Egypt and in many other countries.”

It was for Khaled El-Salhy, the President of Egypt TTA, a great success and the scheme underlined the value of cooperation.

Ishraq proved to be a successful collaborative effort involving Save the Children, the Population Council, the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA); Caritas; the International Table Tennis Federation, the Egyptian Table Tennis Association, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Egypt) and the Ministry of Education (Egypt).

Totally focused on the task in hand PHOTO BY GLENN TEPPER

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AFGHANISTAN

The Afghanistan Men’s Team in 2004

PHOTO BY AFGHANISTAN TTA

Two Hundredth Member In February 2004 the ITTF was the first federation to offer an extensive package of support to the rebuilding of table tennis in Afghanistan and one month later, table tennis was the first International Sports Federation to return to Afghanistan following the displacement of the Taliban regime.

After twenty years of devastating war the people of Afghanistan were starting to rebuild. However, without the help and support of the international community the task would be almost impossible; so in March, Development Officer Steve Dainton, representing the International Table Tennis Federation and in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee, made the journey to help rebuild the sport. Only a few years earlier, helping the development of table tennis, or for that matter any sport, in Afghanistan would have been unthinkable.

Different Components A major ITTF Development Project it involved many different components. Steve Dainton completed sessions for all National Sport

60 Development Program 2006

Federations on planning and administration, as well as conducting coach education, national team training and the distribution of equipment assistance to the table tennis association.

Men and women participated together in the table tennis coaching course; this was significant because it was the first time in many years that men and women had worked together. The fact that it was done in a spirit of friendship and harmony was a great result of the project.

Significant The International Olympic Committee, Afghanistan Olympic Committee, Tamasu Butterfly and ITTF all made significant contributions to the program which involved over twelve months planning. Tamasu Butterfly provided a large quantity of tables, rackets, rubbers, balls and clothing which made the project possible and enabled the association to find its feet. The culmination was at the Volkswagen 48th World Championships in 2005, when the Afghanistan Table Tennis Association became the two hundredth

member of ITTF with the association’s Secretary-General, Amanullah Hamid, receiving a special plaque from ITTF President, Adham Sharara.

Once again the International Table Tennis Federation had proved itself to be one of the most humanitarian focused international organisations in world sport.

Resilience Kabul, the capital city, was the destination for the first ten days with plans to travel later to the western city of Herat. It was obvious in the capital that Afghanistan had been totally ravaged by war; at least half the city had signs of being bombed and many buildings were either totally or partially destroyed. Peacekeepers continued to roam the streets whilst poverty remains extreme as the economy tries to recover.

Almost every person had an unbelievable story about the war and the repressive Taliban regime. Life had been and was still extremely tough in Afghanistan.

Yet amidst the hardship and difficulties there was a belief that the future could be

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Afghanistan Project A project involving the International Olympic Committee, the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee, Tamasu Butterfly and the International Table Tennis Federation

better. The streets of Kabul were full of activity as people once again tried to live a normal life. Also, in almost every field, sport was once again being played. It never ceases to amaze that no matter how difficult the situation, people still love sport.

Initiative Table tennis is no exception; some tables had been salvaged from the carnage and a group of men were making efforts to reform and rebuild the table tennis federation. They had even rebuilt a small part of the back area of the sports stadium into their headquarters; only three years ago the stadium had been used by the Taliban to execute those that broke their strict laws.

The amazing fact is that the table tennis community had built their centre with their own initiative, turning a shattered room and former stables that housed horses into a place to play table tennis. Furthermore, they had also found a room in the university to play more serious competitions, their initiatives were surprising, so as soon as the ITTF heard about the activity in Afghanistan a development visit was planned.

The focus of the visit was two coaching courses, one in Kabul and one in Herat, in general helping the table tennis federation with the overall development and direction of table tennis in Afghanistan was the most important aspect of the visit. However, assisting some of the other sporting federations with some basic functional needs was also part of the project. Butterfly proved most generous, providing an equipment package that was unprecedented and will certainly have a long lasting and visible impact on the development of table tennis

in Afghanistan.

In line with the ITTF women’s movement a women's course was held and the liberal men who ran the table tennis federation invited the women to a mixed course. It was an unprecedented first for sport in Afghanistan and proof that table tennis can break down barriers.

Cancelled Unfortunately the visit to Herat had to be cancelled. Rafi Semadi, the translator, and Steve Dainton had boarded an already two day delayed plane to Herat. They reached halfway when they were forced back to Kabul owing to bad weather.

However, after being somewhat annoyed that they were not in Herat; later that night, they were somewhat relieved that they had not made it.

The same afternoon fighting had broken out in the streets of Herat after the premier’s son (Afghanistan's Aviation Minister) had been killed by a divisional commander; the premier was obviously distraught and wanted revenge. Over one hundred people died in the clashes that lasted for over thirty hours. The trip to Herat was therefore cancelled indefinitely.

National Team However it provided a chance to continue to work with the Afghanistan national table tennis team. The team was preparing for the South Asian games to be held in Pakistan in the first few weeks of March.

It was the first time Afghanistan would compete in the games and they were being represented in over ten sports, one of them

In 2004 a table tennis tournament for women was held for the first time in Afghanistan

table tennis. The standard was, not surprisingly, very low; however the fact that they were even ready to compete in a regional event was a great achievement and holds them in good stead for the future.

Now, there are plans to send the newly trained table tennis coaches and officials into the major provinces to help build the table tennis associations. Plans are also under way for a follow up visit for 2005.

The table tennis federation is now in a more capable position to develop its sport in the future but there is still a great deal more work to be done.

Determination The remarkable table tennis story underlines the will of the Afghan people as they are once again trying to rebuild.

Sport is starting to grow and many of the other federations in Afghanistan are in a similar position to the table tennis federation. Despite their enthusiasm it should come as no major surprise that they still need major help. Most have very little knowledge of what is required to be a successful federation let alone the equipment to make it happen.

Table tennis is well known for its humanitarian approach and it has led the way for Afghanistan sport. The project succeeded thanks to the co-operation of the International Table Tennis Federation, the International Olympic Committee and the table tennis manufacturer Butterfly.

The equipment they supplied is a vast contribution to the future of table tennis in Afghanistan; their efforts have been gratefully received and the Afghan sporting fraternity will benefit greatly from their efforts.

PHOTO BY AFGHANISTAN TTA

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TSUNAMI REBUILDING

Total Raised Over US $270,000 including US $70,000 in cash donations and US $2000,00 of `in kind’ donations

Program

Sources of Funding The ITTF set up a `Tsunami Fund’ which was generously supported by the international table tennis community with donations of over US$40,000 being received, including an ITTF contribution of US$10,000.

Further donations came from: ......The continental federations of Africa, Europe and Oceania. ......The national federations of Germany, New Caledonia and Hungary. ......FIT, the Federation of International Table Tennis Manufacturers ......Table tennis manufacturers: Butterfly, Champion and Juic. ......The clubs: DER and Champlain ......Numerous individuals

Second Stage Submissions to the International Olympic Committee and the table tennis manufacturers formed the second stage of the process.

The International Olympic Committee provided US$30,000 giving a total of US$70,000 of available funds whilst donations `in kind’ were generously donated by the table tennis manufacturers and the table tennis community in general.

Donations were received from Butterfly: 20 tables, 20 nets, 150 high quality rackets, 22 gross balls, 100 shirts, 50 shorts, 13 litres glue, 50 bags, 25 racket cases Double Happiness: 5 tables, 1000 rackets, 100 gross 38mm balls, 1000 training shirts Stag: 500 rackets, 100 tshirts, 40 gross balls Newgy: 5 table tennis robots Juic: 100 rackets

PHOTO BY THAILAND TTA

The ITTF `Tsunami Rebuilding’ Program was devised as a means to assist the psychological recovery from the widespread tradegy.

Understandably, the immediate needs were shelter, food, clothing and medical aid which was well covered by the many charity organisations. The second stage was to give people hope and a break from the realities of such a tradegy; a scenario in which the ITTF became involved.

Donations

Richard McAfee & Don Mudtangam in Thailand

Madeira Table Tennis Association: a large quantity of clothing ITTF/African TTF: 2 packages of 6 tables, 6 nets, 6 scorers, 80 rackets and 8 gross balls through the ITTF/ATTF agreement.

ITTF/Asian TTU: 4 packages of 6 tables, 6 nets, 6 scorers, 80 rackets and 8 gross balls through the ITTF/ATTU agreement.

Cuban Government and Cuban Table Tennis Association: offered to send Cuban Coaches to the affected areas for one year.

Norwegian Table Tennis Association: raised over US$15,000 towards a building program for a centre in both the North and South of Sri Lanka.

In total close to US$200,000 of `in kind’ donations were made which together with the US$70,000 in cash, provided over a quarter of a million dollars of assistance.

Thank you to all those that opened their hearts to the affected areas.

Double Happiness: 5 tables, 700 rackets, 70 gross 38mm balls, 700 training shirts ITTF/ATTU Equipment Assistance 2005: 6 tables, 6 nets, 6 scorers, 80 rackets, 8 gross balls ITTF/ATTU Equipment Assistance 2004: 6 tables, 6 nets, 25 scorers, 100 rackets, 100 surrounds Butterfly: 50 blades,100 rubbers,100 shirts, 50 shorts, 2 gross balls,12.5 litres glue, 50 bags, 25 racket cases, 4 tables, 20 rackets, 4 gross balls Newgy:1 RoboPong 2040 robot Norwegian Government: A five year plan to establish 2 primary school table tennis centres and 29 primary school community centres Jan Berner: fundraising US$15000 Lilamani De Soysa: fundraising US$5000 Junior Scholarships: One from ITTF, one from Butterfly Building Project: a hall in the south (10 tables), a hall in the north (6 tables), 29 community centres (each with one table)

INDONESIA ITTF/ATTU Equipment Assistance: 6 tables, 6 nets, 6 scorers, 80 rackets, 8 gross balls Stag: 125 rackets,1500 balls, 25 training shirts Butterfly: 4 tables, 20 rackets, 4 gross balls Juic: 100 rackets, 200 rubbers Newgy: 1 RoboPong 2040 robot Coach for fixed period: North Sumatra & Aceh

Distribution

THAILAND

The ITTF contacted all affected countries asking them for a detailed analysis of their situation, the effect on the table tennis community and what assistance would provide the greatest long term benefit.

Several countries kindly asked that their portion be allocated to those that needed it more; these countries included: India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Tanzania and Kenya.

Following the analysis, five countries were targeted for assistance: Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives, Thailand and Somalia.

Meetings were held at the Volkswagen 48th World Championships in Shanghai and a plan devised based on need plus the effect on the table tennis community formulated.

Sri Lanka and Maldives focused on providing two simple table tennis centres to provide a lasting legacy. Thailand, Indonesia and Somalia had courses for the affected areas which included Coach Education, Training Camps, Schools Programs and any actions that assisted the affected areas.

ITTF/ATTU Equipment Assistance: tables to value of US$2000 Stag: 125 rackets,1500 balls, 25 training shirts Butterfly: 4 tables, 20 rackets, 4 gross balls Newgy: 1 RoboPong 2040 robot ITTF/ATTU Coach Education: Benone Grigore in Bangkok; Richard McAfee in Ranong and Phuket

Somalia Received The First Assistance Package The first assistance package in the `Tsunami Rebuilding Program’ went to Somalia with Ahmed Dawlatly leading a two week course in the capital, Mogadishu, in May 2005. The first week focused on coach education, whilst in the second week six women from the tsunami affected areas attended.

Security was a problem with armed guards being present throughout.

62 Development Program 2006

SRI LANKA

MALDIVES Double Happiness: 300 rackets, 30 gross 38mm balls, 300 training shirts Butterfly: 4 tables, 20 rackets, 4 gross balls Newgy: 1 RoboPong 2040 robot Stag: 125 rackets,1500 balls, 25 training shirts ITTF: 4 tables ITTF/ATTU Umpires Course: Conducted by Ronald Wee ITTF Building Projects: Halls in Thaa Atoll & Meemu Atoll

SOMALIA ITTF/ATTF Equipment Assistance: 6 tables, 6 nets, 6 scorers, 80 rackets, 8 gross balls Stag: 125 rackets,1500 balls, 25 training shirts Butterfly: 4 tables, 20 rackets, 4 gross balls Newgy: 1 RoboPong 2040 robot ITTF Tsunami Equipment Collection: 25 training shirts ITTF/ATTF Coach Education: Coaches Education courses conducted by Ahmed Dawlatly.

Clothing donated by the Madeira TTA will be distributed to Tsunami hit countries who are present at the Liebherr World Table Tennis Championships in 2006.

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PHOTO BY MALDIVES TTA

Tsunami Rebuilding Program: A joint project involving the International Olympic Committee, Asian Table Tennis Union, African Table Tennis Federation, Table Tennis Manufacturers and the International Table Tennis Federation Course members in Maldives

Thai Resilience Two weeks in Thailand (27th August 10th September 2005) gave Richard McAfee the chance to see the areas hardest hit by the Tsunami.

The resilience of the human race is remarkable, the ability of people to recover from adversity never ceases to amaze; in 2005 nowhere was this better exemplified than in the countries hit by the Tsunami in December 2004.

Richard McAfee arrived in southern Thailand in late August 2005. He conducted a week long coaching course in Ranong before being driven three hundred kilometres south to Phuket, an area that relies on tourism and had been devastated eight months earlier.

Rebuilding “It was truly amazing to see how fast everything was being rebuilt”, said McAfee. “I saw temporary housing but everywhere you looked new homes were being erected; the beach was lined with new buildings”. The recovery is remarkable but of course it has been a tragic time in that part of the world.

“The general feeling amongst the Thai people was that the rebuilding part of the recovery process will not be the most difficult”, continued McAfee. “Recovering from losing loved ones is the greatest challenge.”

An understandable comment and this is where table tennis can play a major role.

“It is here that the government feels that sports like table tennis can make a major contribution”, continued McAfee. “Getting people back into their normal everyday activities, which includes sport, will help in

Maldives

dealing with the stress of the disaster.”

The programme for both the week in Ranong and the week in Phuket was the same for Richard McAfee.

He taught two sessions each day, a coaches’ course in the morning for eighteen local coaches and a training session in the evening for approximately thirty local junior players.

Second Week During the second week the venue was the Satree Phuket School and many of the coaches took the opportunity to return in the evening and assist with the coaching in order to become more acquainted with advanced training methods.

The course proved a success thanks to the fact that there was a high level of cooperation. Tamasu Butterfly, Stag and Newgy all assisted by donating equipment, so there was no shortage of table tennis tables, bats and balls; the response had been magnificent.

However, it is people who determine the success or failure of any project and the efforts of Mrs Suaporn Chankerd, a physical education teacher at the Satree Phuket School and the General Secretary of the Phuket Table Tennis Association will live long in the memory of Richard McAfee.

“Not only did she organise the course but she took part as well”, McAfee enthused. “She has taught table tennis in the area to over six hundred students in the past thirty years.”

It’s people like her who make the work of coaches like Richard McAfee worthwhile; she sets a splendid example to all.

PHOTO BY THAILAND TTA

Junior players at a coaching session in Ranong

The Tsunami disaster had a quite understandable effect on the `Developing a National Coaching Structure’ program that was staged in the Maldives.

Organised from 1st December 2004 to 25th February 2005 the tragedy came in the middle of the course, adjustments were made and soon coach Arif Kahn was back to work.

Male, the one kilometre square island capital was overcrowded with one hundred thousand inhabitants, many taking refuge from the outer atoll inhabitants.

Thankfully Arif Kahn, the ITTF coach on duty, was safe and resumed the course only days after the `Tsunami’.

The focus was not quite what was originally intended but perhaps table tennis provided an outlet and a break from tragic reality. `Developing a National Coaching Structure’ is a course that involves sending a coach to a country for a period of time to leave a lasting legacy by not only providing coach education but also building a structure that will survive. The length of the course ranges from one month to a year, depending on the budget and the salary of the coach.

The original plans were formulated by the President of the Maldives Table Tennis Association, Ahmed Latheef, in liaison with the International Table Tennis Federation and the very supportive President of the Maldives National Olympic Committee, Zahir Naseer.

After many months of planning, Ahmed Latheef, was transferred to India for work and planning responsibilities were handed over to the capable hands of Visam Ali. The plan included the targeting of four atolls each with a community centre, a supportive local government and some table tennis activity, as well as raising the level of play in the main island, Male.

Male has benefited from courses by Glenn Tepper and Dave Fairholm in recent years, as well as several visits from Timo Boll.

He always gives his time generously during his holidays in Maldives and there are many players in Male who proudly show you `Timo's rubber’ on their racket or `Timo’s shirt’ and all closely follow the results of `their boy’. `Developing a National Coaching Structure’ is one of the newest Olympic Solidarity Courses and also arguably the most successful.

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TSUNAMI REBUILDING

A Humbling Experience Return Visit ITTF Project Manager Lilamani de Soysa was in Sri Lanka when the tsunami struck; in January 2005, before returning to Lausanne, she visited some of the devastated areas.

Seventeen year old national table tennis player, Chandi Hansa’s father told her that when he saw the fifteen metre tidal wave rise up towards him he had grabbed some of Chandi’s table tennis medals before he ran out of the house.

Chandi’s mother proudly showed Lila a tattered photo, which she had found in the mud, a photo of Chandi receiving a table tennis award. Once more the power of sport prevailed. The dignity of these families was closely related to the sporting achievements of their children. They were different because their children were national sports figures.

Southern Coast

Practising She and many of her table tennis friends from her neighbourhood had escaped because they were playing table tennis in Colombo when the disaster took place.

They came back to find that their homes had disappeared and to hear the gruesome stories of how their families had survived.

Little nine year old Vishni Vinokha was not that lucky. A student of Dharmaloka College Ambalangoda, she was the Southern Province champion in her age category but she was too young to be in the national group. She lost her life on that fatal Boxing Day. Eight year old table tennis

64 Development Program 2006

Crucial Role Eleven year old U. W. Kanil had been missing for four days after the tsunami. He had run almost three kilometres from his home when the wave struck his hometown; then owing to the blocked roads he had not been able to return so had found refuge with one of his relatives. As soon as it was possible he had jumped into a truck and found his way back to his house. It was in shambles.

I asked him what he needed most right now; his big black eyes filled up with tears and he said I need a new table tennis racket. I promised him he would have the best racket I could find. He said he’d like it to be a Butterfly Gergely!

Tuesday 26th April 2005, exactly four months after the tsunami that devastated many coastal regions of South East Asia, ITTF Project Manager, Lilamani de Soysa, returned to Sri Lanka and visited the most affected area of the country.

Many tsunami victims were still struggling to come to terms with the loss of loved ones, homes and livelihoods. Many were still living on charity and waiting for the houses and better living conditions promised by the government and other international organisations.

Thus, for the sixty-four table tennis players and their families who had been invited to attend a meeting hastily organised by the Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association, it may have seemed like more wasted time, full of empty promises.

However, it was not the case. Lila was there to distribute equipment donated by the table tennis manufacturer, Tamasu Butterfly.

Thanks to them and the International Table Tennis Federation she was able to keep the promise made to those children in December 2004 when all hope seemed to be lost, to find them the necessary equipment and help them return to playing the game as soon as possible.

Young U. W. Kanil who had lost his house and especially his Butterfly Gergely table tennis bat received his racket, it was a symbol of hope, friendship and solidarity. It demonstrated that sport is not just a physical activity but a universal language, a powerful tool to rally people in times of hardship.

Similarly there was good news for Chandi Hansa. She had been selected for a table tennis tour in South India, whilst the national champion K. S. T. Chalitha was on the point of leaving for Shanghai for the World Championships. He had lost part of his house, all his table tennis equipment including a table and most of his treasured medals.

PHOTO BY LILAMANI DE SOYSA

Visiting the Southern coast of Sri Lanka was a harrowing experience. The beautiful beaches were in tatters, mountains of rubble and shells of houses, hotels, schools, created an unreal science fictional landscape, as far as the eye could see. People in tattered clothes sat along the roads waiting for someone to distribute rations of food and water.

Together with officials from the Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association, Lila visited a town in the south called Ambalangoda (just before the town of Galle, one of the worst hit and the centre of foreign media attention). Lila visited the houses of several players, or more exactly, the spots where the houses had stood before. Many of these players had lost family members, their homes, their clothes, their friends.

They only had the clothes they had on them. Chandi Hansa, posed on the pile of rubble, which used to be her home.

player, Shashika Anurudha, also suffered; she lost her parents.

Mr. Anura Lal, Southern Province Secretary and coach showed me his `house’. He told me that seventy-five per cent of the players in the national table tennis squad were from this part of the country. He said that the Sri Lankan Table Tennis Association had counted sixty-four tables in private houses in the area; all were now lost.

The Men’s Singles National champion (and Commonwealth Consolation bronze medallist) K. S. T. Chalitha and the Women’s Singles national champion Ishara Madurangi were from Ambalangoda. Lila visited their homes. Chalitha’s house was standing but most of his belongings, including his table tennis trophies had been washed away. He stood proudly in front of a few medals that he had managed to salvage.

The one room table tennis centre in his house had also been destroyed but a picture of Tamara Boros and Zoran Primorac clung to the soggy walls. He told me his very favorite players were Jan-Ove Waldner and Wang Nan.

Gratitude Chandana Perera, General Secretary of the Sri Lankan Table Tennis Association, Reza Latiff, responsible for international relations and Dr. Dhaminda Attanayake all showed great dedication.

They have untiringly found out the whereabouts of all registered table tennis players, visited their families and listened to their stories. They continue to help the families in need.

U. W. Kanil with his Butterfly Gergely bat

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PHOTO BY MARIANN DOMONKOS

WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT

Lilamani de Soysa, ITTF Project Manager

Establishment

Action Plan

Conferences

The ITTF held the first ITTF Women’s Forum at the World Championships in France 2003 under the theme `Rallying for change’.

Women’s Forums were also held at the 2004 World Championships in Doha, with the theme `Change through Education’ and at the 2005 World Championships in Shanghai the theme being `From Education to Participation’.

A Women’s Working Group (WWG) has been formed, with continental and national co-ordinators.

Targets regarding ITTF Committee composition, national executives and participation at courses have been set following and aiming to exceed the guidelines of the International Olympic Committee a minimum of twenty per cent female participation. Furthermore, a `tool-kit of best practices’ has been produced.

As part of the ITTF Development Program continents must have a minimum of one women’s course per year; the response for such courses was immediate with all six continents in 2004 actively responding. Courses were held in Syria (Asia), Kenya (Africa), Austria (Europe), Fiji (Oceania), Brazil (Latin America) and Canada (North America)

Women’s Working Group Action Plan 2005 - 2006

Lilamani de Soysa experienced a busy year in 2005 in her efforts to promote the female sporting cause.

She attended the Women and Sport Conference in Marrakech, the 3rd Asian Conference on Women and Sport in the Yemen and the 4th Islamic Games in Iran

Specific Initiatives ......Organise continental coaching courses and Leadership Forums ......Co-ordinate and collaborate with Global Junior Education ......Expand Best Practices Tool Kit ......Support the development of continental and national associations on improving table tennis for girls and women .......Promote table tennis women to attend Lausanne Leadership Seminar ......ITTF representation at 4th World Conference on Women and Sport in Kumamoto, Japan 2006 ......Address issue of women's clothing in table tennis ......Work towards equal prize money for men and women

IWGWS Lilamani de Soysa, ITTF Project Manager and Co-ordinator of the ITTF Women’s Working Group was co-opted to the International Working Group for Women in Sport (IWGWS) in 2004 Lila de Soysa co-ordinates relations with other international federations on behalf of the IWG.

Participation Outcome ......To increase the number and quality of girls and women players, coaches, officials, decisionmakers and administrators in table tennis Activity ......Host dedicated coaching courses ......Support University of Lausanne leadership course ......Attend 4th World Conference in Japan, June 2006 ......Orient and mentor new women ......Lobby for equal prize money Outcome ......Support national and regional associations in increasing participation by girls and women Activity ......Expand Tool Kit of Best Practices ......Support hosting of continental forums ......2005 Forum Report ......Dedicate development resources ......More use of electronic communication ......Prepare job description and checklist for coordinators

Popularity Outcome ......To increase awareness, understanding and support for women’s involvement in table tennis Activity ......Enhance use of website ......Include more information in magazine ......Prepare recognition awards: ITTF directive and process plus IOC award submission ......Address clothing issue for women

Planning Outcome ......To develop plans and policies to advance women and sport within ITTF and its members Activity ......Update WWG Terms of reference, work plan and prepare budget ......Hold WWG meeting/conference call ......Research and recommend targets or incentives for increasing women's participation ......Address inclusion of women in continental agreements whilst also formulating a directive to include Women’s Forums

Marrakech More than five hundred delegates from one hundred and thirty-seven countries and five continents gathered for the 3rd Conference on Women and Sport held (7th-9th March 2004) in Marrakech, Morocco.

Organised by the International Olympic Committee, the theme was `New Strategies, New Commitments’ and thus further developed the resolutions made at the two earlier conferences in Lausanne (1996) and in Paris (2000).

Yemen The 3rd Asian Conference on Women and Sport was held in Sana’a, Yemen from 11th to 12th May 2005.

The conference theme was `Empowering Women to Benefit from Sport and Physical Education’. Lila addressed the meeting, speaking on the subject `The importance of Leadership, Training and Promotion of Women’s Competence Programs in Sports’.

Delegates from twenty-seven Asian countries participated with Lila explaining the challenges faced and the achievements made by the International Table Tennis Federation in the past few years with regards to the advancement of women and girls. In order to illustrate her talk, she showed the film: `Breaking Down Barriers in Afghanistan’.

Tehran The 4th Islamic Women’s Games in Tehran, Iran (22nd - 28th September 2005) gave a chance for women and girls to participate in a major sporting event. It was an opportunity not previously available for many females in Islamic countries.

Organised by the Islamic Women’s Sport Federation, over forty countries competed in eighteen disciplines, including a special table tennis event for the disabled. Furthermore, it was a true international event with representatives from non-Islamic nations present. Competitors from Cyprus, England, Japan, Russia, Sri Lanka and the USA attended.

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In 2003 the Chinese Table Tennis Association was asked to recommend Deng Yaping for the International Olympic Committee's Women's Award.

WOMEN’S FORUMS

Rallying For Change

Issues Key issues raised at the meeting concerned: ......Attracting more young women to table tennis and maintaining their interest. ......Educating more female coaches. ......Encouraging female players to stay in the world of table tennis when their career is over. ......Educating women to hold representative positions at a regional, national and international level. ......Marketing women's table tennis, improving presentation, clothing, television and media exposure.

Recommendations The Forum adopted four main recommendations: ......That the ITTF and its member federations try to achieve the International Olympic Committee target of twenty per cent women in decision making positions by 2005. This is to be regarded as one step on the road. It was proposed that the International Table Tennis Federation should exceed the twenty per cent in order to be a role model for other sports federations. ......That the ITTF dedicate resources and positions for the development programme to women and try to motivate national associations to encourage and increase women's participation within the Olympic Solidarity Courses as well as International Table Tennis Federation development courses for coaching, officiating and administration. ......That the ITTF establish a Working Group on Women and Sport to oversee the implementation of opportunities for girls and women to increase participation

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PHOTO BY RÉMY GROS

Over one hundred men and women from seventy-three countries attended the First International Women's Forum on Thursday 22 May 2003 at the World Championships in Paris.

The Forum, organised by the International Table Tennis Federation and opened by the President of the French Table Tennis Federation, Gérard Velten, adopted the motto `Rallying for Change'.

A large number of speakers addressed the meeting with their themes covering a wide range of issues such as leadership, education, training and marketing.

Progress 2003

Deng Yaping at the Women’s Forum in 2003

and leadership in table tennis. ......That the Working Group should take into consideration and develop all other ideas, recommendations and propositions issued from the Forum in Paris.

Deng Yaping A major speaker at the Forum was former World and Olympic champion, Deng Yaping, a woman who achieved the highest possible goals in her chosen sport and comes from a country where in the past women's feet were bound thus making any participation in sport totally impossible.

In her speech she explained the table tennis coaching philosophy for girls in China, a philosophy that has certainly worked as their female players continue to dominate the sport.

“It is generally agreed, that Chinese women athletes are better than men”, explained Deng Yaping. “Women are strong and men are weak, American sportswomen began to achieve equality with men only in 1972, our Chinese female athletes had equal opportunities in the 1950's!”

Undoubtedly the way the Chinese prepare their teams has an effect. “The training system has an important impact on women athletes; for instance the Chinese women's table tennis team normally has three or four male players to train with them”, added Deng Yaping. “These big brothers have the responsibility of imitating the different playing styles of the best women table tennis players in the world and thus they help their sisters improve their skills.” The system has helped Chinese women succeed at the Olympic Games and at World Championships.

It is a training method that is in use today and clearly works very well!

Notable progress was made in 2003, by the end of the year several proposals from Paris had been realised.

A Women’s Working Group had been formed, a policy of holding one women’s course per continent on the ITTF Development Program with two days being reserved for women on all Olympic Solidarity Courses had been agreed. At least one of the three ITTF Media Scholarships had been reserved for a female journalist and national associations had been asked to consider sending a female delegate to the ITTF AGM. Meanwhile at the ITTF World Cadet Challenge in 2003 five of the eight team managers were women whilst at the Volkswagen Japan Open in September, of the thirty-five international umpires, only the four invited foreign umpires were male. Furthermore, Japan had proposals to further the involvement of women in the sport. The national association created a Women’s Working Group and organised a women’s coaches meeting and a women’s referees course.

In the Middle East, Iran’s Zahra Yousefi umpired at the Volkswagen Malaysian Open whilst Iftikhar Jumma Ali became the president of the reformed Iraq Table Tennis Association; she was the country’s only female president of a national association.

In the west, the European Table Tennis Union had added a new Deng Yaping Under 21 Camp to its development program and had reserved 500 Euros for any member association wishing to organise a women’s forum.

Meanwhile, in France a program had been created to involve more women in table tennis management.

The ITTF Women’s Working Group was seeking more sponsors for female events and had proposed to the ITTF Nomination Committee that preference should be given to female candidates for positions on the ITTF committees, whilst the ITTF Pro Tour organisers were requested to ask press officers to write a special women’s feature at ITTF Pro Tour tournaments.

Contact with the University of Lausanne and the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology in Lausanne to initiate a Leadership Training Programme for women had been made as had contact with the French company Lacoste. The aim was to create a line of table tennis clothing for women.

National associations were being urged to hold a Women’s Table Tennis Day on Monday 8 March 2004 to celebrate International Women’s Day; the month when the International Olympic Committee’s Third World Conference on Women and Sport (7th-9th March 2004) was held, an event at which the ITTF was represented.

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“Therefore I recommended small steps but Lila has taken giant strides”

PHOTO BY RÉMY GROS

The Women’s Forum in Shanghai

Adham Sharara ITTF President

A Year Later

At The Forefront

Over one hundred delegates were present in the huge conference hall in Doha’s Sheraton Hotel for the second Women’s Forum entitled `Change Through Education’ on Thursday 4th March 2004.

A major item on the agenda was the lack of women at decision making levels in table tennis; therefore leadership roles for women proved a major item of discussion. The topic assumed a high priority but one year after the first Women’s Forum Lilamani de Soysa, the ITTF Project Manager, believed progress had been made.

“The Forum has afforded the opportunity to meet, discuss and learn how to be better leaders, better coaches”, she said. “As a result we have better ambassadors for our sport.”

Lilamani de Soysa, in her role as Co-ordinator of the Women’s Working Group had worked tirelessly since the meeting in Paris in 2003, a fact Adham Sharara, ITTF President, acknowledged. “Last year I said it was good to have a Forum”, he explained. “Therefore I recommended small steps but Lila has taken giant strides, Lila didn’t really think that way and today we can proudly talk about great results that have exceeded all expectations.”

In the space of one year a Women’s Working group has been formed, a network has been set up, statistical data on female representation within table tennis had been collected whilst the recommendation was made on application forms, for each association attending the Liebherr World Team Championships, that at least one delegate to the Annual General Meeting should be a woman.

Furthermore, one media scholarship of the three offered was presented to a woman and a special page on the ITTF website had been created for women’s news. Meanwhile, facilitator Judy Kent announced that there will be more women’s programmes like the Deng Yaping and Ishraq Programmes whilst female candidates will be given more opportunities to participate on committees, commissions, and working groups.

The second part of the Women’s Forum was addressed by Dr. John Antonakis, Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. He addressed the topic of gender and transformational leadership. Following the speech Dr. Chris Shelton, Professor at Smith College, USA spoke on the subject of `Women to the Top, Changing the Culture of Coaching for Women’.

The idea of a Women’s Forum had proved a worthwhile venture, a fact that was underlined in Doha, the venue was full, the participants were enthusiastic and that clearly underlined the success of the concept.

The Third International ITTF Women's Forum was held on Monday 2nd May 2005 at the Hua Ting Hotel and Towers in Shanghai, China.

Adham Sharara, ITTF President, opened the proceedings with Lilamani de Soysa, ITTF Project Manager, welcoming everyone to the Forum. She was followed

by Judy Kent, the Special Advisor to the Women's Working Group, who gave a progress report detailing the efforts that had been made since the meeting one year earlier in Doha, Qatar, when the theme had been `Change Through Education`.

The opening part of the proceedings over, Jinxia Dong from Peking University spoke on the opportunities available in China for women in the drive for Olympic medals. She highlighted the fact that the success of sportswomen in China exceeds that of their male counterparts, yet only twelve per cent of women in China are in leadership roles.

Jinxia Dong was followed by Hajera Kajee from South Africa, she addressed the meeting on the subject of the need to mentor and support the many talented women who can contribute enormously to sport whilst the final speaker, Polona Cehovin Susin of Slovenia, spoke on the challenges and opportunities facing female coaches.

A health break with a session of Tai Chi was followed by a workshop to help provide national associations with the tools needed to facilitate a Women’s Forum. A wide range of topics was discussed including an ITTF Facilitator’s Guide for Continental Workshops on Gender Equity, an ITTF Tool Kit for Gender Equity and an Anti Harassment Policy.

Awareness An awareness of gender equity has been clearly highlighted by the International Table Tennis Federation; there has been a significant increase in the number of women attending the World Championships and the Forum; with this level of participation in mind the Women’s Working Group recommended that a forum and women’s coaching course should be organised annually by each continent with the two events being arranged in conjunction with the biennial continental championships.

It is a positive proposal and another step forward. “A great deal has been accomplished but there is clearly a great deal to be done”, said Judy Kent. A wise comment, there is never room for complacency but it is quite clear that the International Table Tennis Federation is well respected in the wider sporting world for its efforts in promoting gender equality and most certainly is at the forefront of promoting women in sport.

PHOTO BY RÉMY GROS

Speakers

participation by women in playing and administration but in improving the recognition of the major impact women can play in our great sport.”

One year earlier the award had gone to the Japanese Table Tennis Association and had been accepted by Koji Kimura.

Award The English Table Tennis Association received the ITTF Women’s Award for promoting female participation in the sport.

The award was received by the wife of the Chair of the English Table Tennis Association, Alex Murdoch, who was clearly delighted that his association’s efforts had been recognised.

“It is a great honour for table tennis in England to be the recipient of this prestigious award”, he said. “My thanks go to Judy Rodgers, the ETTA National Equity Officer, for her work at all levels in not only instigating programmes for more

England's Val Murdoch receives the ITTF Women’s Award from Dorte Kronsell

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ITTF WOMEN’S COURSES Africa Congo D.R. 5th April-2nd May 2005 Expert: Maria Häfeli (Switzerland) Ethiopia 11th-16th January 2003 Expert: Åsa Svensson (Sweden) Kenya 18th-22nd October 2004 Expert: Branka Batinic (HRV)

Asia India 4th-10th October 2005 Expert: Polona Cehovin Susin (SVN) Iran 24th September-3rd October 2003 Expert: Polona Cehovin Susin SVN) Jordan 30th November-4th December 2005 Expert: Branka Batinic (Croatia) Malaysia 11th-15th November 2005 Expert: Chan Foong Keong (Malaysia) Syria 21st-26th November 2005 Expert: Polona Cehovin Susin (Slovenia)

Europe Austria 20th-26th August 2005 Expert: Liu Yan Jun (Austria) England 12th-13th March 2005 Expert: Dorte Kronsell (Denmark) Slovenia 31st October-5th November 2005 Experts: Branka Batinic (Croatia), Gordana Furjan-Mardic (Croatia), Eva Jeler (Slovenia)

Latin America Brazil 1st-7th July 2004 Expert: Polona Cehovin Susin (SVN) Cuba 1st-21st March 2001 Expert: Deng Yaping (China) Trinidad and Tobago 9-12 July 2005 Expert: Branka Batinic (HRV)

North America Canada 21st-25th April 2004 Expert: Mariann Domonkos (Canada) Canada 29th June-1st July 2005 Expert: Christian Fossy (CAN)

Oceania Fiji 4th-8th October 2004 Expert: Kerri Tepper (Australia) Cook Islands 21st-27th May 2005 Expert: Mariann Domonkos (Canada)

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players present.

“I am very pleased to have conducted the first ITTF Women’s Course in Kinshasa, Congo DR, because I have got to know a group of extraordinary females who have given me a lesson in life with their enthusiasm, warmth and simplistic outlook”, said Maria, who was clearly touched by her experience.

A wonderful atmosphere was experienced from the moment of her arrival in Kinshasa thanks to the efforts of the Association of Women in Sport (AWISA) and the organisation’s president, Seraphine Lofombo, a remarkable woman who is fighting for women’s rights amongst traditionally male dominated sports federations.

AWISA had recently signed a partnership contract with the Congo D.R. Table Tennis Federation to assist with the popularisation of table tennis amongst the women of Congo D.R. and in particular the girls, a scenario that is having a positive effect.

“The programme was very full with coach education in the mornings, a group of young beginners aged four to ten years old years in the afternoons and national women’s team training in the evenings”, explained Maria. “In between there were meetings with various sports authorities to discuss the development of table tennis.”

Essential to the furtherance of table tennis in Congo D.R. is education, a fact that Maria highlighted. “Continuing the education is very important”, she said and she persuaded Muana Mbuta to make a promise to follow the practical coaching she had demonstrated. However, progress is hampered by a lack of equipment with rackets and balls in short supply.

However, the ITTF has alleviated the problem to some extent; a package of six tables, nets, scorers, eighty rackets and one thousand one hundred and fifty-two balls were provided in 2005.

Thirty women completed the course, twenty-four were classified as `very good' and received certification.

Austria The European course for women in 2004 was held in Stockerau, Austria (20th-26th September).

Co-ordinated by ETTU Development Manager, Zita Pidl, a training camp for the continent’s leading Under 21 female players was organised. The fourteen highest ranked players plus four juniors were invited but unfortunately only seven were able to accept the invitation; a situation which underlines the difficulty of organising a training camp that is not held in conjunction with an international tournamemt.

Head coach was Liu Yan Jun of Austria with Liliane Sebe of Romania and Martina Rable assisting. Unfortunately, Martina was only able to assist on the first day owing to illness.

A problem at many training camps is the lack of practice partners; in Stockerau this was no problem. Austrian internationals Liu Jia and Judit Herczig were both present as was Sweden’s Carina Jonsson.

An excellent situation for training but of course no-one can play productively for twenty four hours a day. Therefore, a computer course (two, two hour sessions) was organised to give help with use of the `Internet’, `Word’ and `Excel’.

Futhermore, in order to facilitate a break from training and study a visit to the Emperor's Palace in Schönbrunn, Vienna. was arranged.

Bahrain Forty-nine women, all from the Physical Education University of Bahrain, attended the course in Manama from 7th to 16th January 2004.

Organised by Hayat Aziz Al Khalifa, the President of the Bahrain Table Tennis Association and Fareed A. Kazerooni, the secretary, the course conductor was Branka Batinic.

Saleh Hasan Ali, national coach, assisted throughout the ten day course which focused on techniques, tactics and rules.

Congo D.R. The first ITTF Women’s Course in 2005 was held in Congo D.R. from 25th April to 2nd May, concluding on the day the Women’s Forum was held at the Volkswagen 48th World Championships in Shanghai.

In recent years Congo D.R. has made notable steps forward under the leadership of the national table tennis federation's secretary-general, Muana Mbuta and when Maria Häfeli from Switzerland visited to lead the course, she felt that she was as much a beneficiary as the coaches and

PHOTO COURTESY OF CONGO DR TTF

COURSES

Austria Bahrain Congo D.R.

Listening to every word spoken by Maria Häfeli

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PHOTO BY MARIANN DOMONKOS

Cook Islands Ethiopia Fiji

Ethiopia Sweden’s Åsa Svensson accepted the role as coach at a course organised by the ITTF for Ethiopian girls as part of the Deng Yaping Women's Programme in 2003.

The girls were particularly interested in service techniques and no doubt they learnt a great deal from just watching a player of Svensson’s class. “I am sure that from now on you will see Ethiopian female players serving like Åsa Svensson”, she said and maybe not such a bad technique to follow: Åsa Svensson is the only European woman ever to beat Deng Yaping, a feat she achieved at the Hungarian Open in 1992 when Deng Yaping was nineteen years old and the reigning world champion.

Girls and boys join forces in Mangaia

Fiji

Cook Islands Throughout the week of the World Junior Circuit Fiji Open and the Oceania Qualifications for the World Junior Circuit Finals and World Cadet Challenge, Mariann Domonkos took every opportunity to check the ITTF and Oceania websites to follow the results and stories.

The reason: she had just returned from the Cook Islands shortly before their team set off for Fiji; therefore, she was following with great interest the results of the players with whom she had worked and become acquainted.

Results were not the priority. “As I looked through the draw for their names, I was imagining the excitement they must have felt playing against new opponents”, said Mariann. “Receiving new and strange serves and hopefully noticing players doing the things that I had just taught them and that they themselves still needed countless hours of training before perfecting.“ The trip to the Cook Islands encompassed a number of different activities for Mariann. “I gave a very successful one week Women’s Course and held a number of mixed training sessions in Avarua, the capital, on the island of Rarotonga”, she

explained. “Also, I travelled to Mangaia, one of the fourten outer islands, where I spent a day initiating roughly one hundred and fifty very keen school children to the sport.” An exacting task and there was more in her itinerary. “In the evening I held training sessions for a thriving and enthusiastic local club”, she continued. “A club, I was told that comprised about ten per cent of the island's population!”

Mariann spent two and half weeks in the Cook Islands and made a most valuable contribution; the next stage is to build on the knowledge imparted. “In the greater scheme of things, the two and a half weeks that I spent in the Cook Islands are just a drop in the bucket along their developmental path”, she said. “Many more drops will need to be accumulated in the form of visits from other experts, exposure to regional and international competitions but mostly the drops of sweat they themselves will expend in trying to put into application the wealth of technical knowledge that they will continue to acquire.”

It is an exciting time of growth fuelled by unbridled enthusiasm, one which Mariann is pleased she experienced; she will follow more closely than ever the progress made by the players from the Cook Islands. The knowledge gained will help them move forwards. Also they have received equipment support from Tamasu Butterfly; support which was gratefully received by all.

Led by dual Olympian, Australia’s Kerri Tepper twenty-one women from Fiji, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands and Kiribati met at the China Club, Suva, Fiji for five days for the first Oceania Women’s Table Tennis Course in October 2004.

The group ranged in age from twelve to fifty years old with representatives from a range of community groups, including youth leaders, school students, religious and cultural groups, Fiji Sports Council, Suva Women’s Prison, Police Compound, talented juniors and the Deaf Association.

For many it was their first experience of table tennis. Therefore, the aim of the course was to equip the group with the basic knowledge and skills to feel confident enough to implement table tennis activities for women in their local communities. Five tables were available at the China Club but many communities in the Oceania region do not have access to competition level equipment.

Much of the course was thus devoted to learning activities that maximise participation with minimal equipment, through the ITTF `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls’ program.

A highlight of the course was the leadership and planning session where each woman shared with the group who they thought were inspiring leaders and what qualities those leaders display.

Each participant was presented with an ITTF Women’s Course Certificate at a Closing Ceremony by Sakaraia Tuva, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Fiji Ministry of Sports, as well as a table tennis racket, to help in making the next step.

Some players stayed to compete in the Fiji Open with twelve year old Alisi Naisau of Ba winning the Open, Under 14 Girls’ Singles title, a player who had certainly found the course very useful.

PHOTO BY MARIANN DOMONKOS

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ITTF WOMEN’S COURSES Malaysia 2005

India Iran Jordan Kenya Malaysia

PHOTO BY TTA MALAYSIA

India Fourteen coaches from India, four from Nepal and two from Sri Lanka participated at the ITTF Women’s Coaches Course in New Delhi (4th-9th October 2005).

The course was conducted by Slovenia’s Polona Cehovin Susin and was staged at the National Federation’s superb headquarters in the Nehru Stadium. The course followed the contents of the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual and was enriched by videos on technique.

Also, the video `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls, Afghanistan’ was shown and appealed to participants who could draw comparisons with life in the poorer areas of their countries and with natural disasters that had caused havoc and devastation.

Theory classes were held in the morning and practical sessions in the evening which young players from the local area attended. The coaches were all former players (many having coached national champions) and they had a very definite goal: India hosts the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and they were aiming to coach players to gain international status.

Iran Twenty-one coaches and nineteen players attended the Coaching Course and Training Camp held at the Al Zahra University of Physical Education in Tehran from 24th September to 1st October 2005.

The course was under the direction of Slovenia's Polona Cehovin Susin; each day five hours was allocated to the training camp with four hours allotted to theory sessions for the coaches. The coaches attended the training sessions for one hour each day in order to gain practical experience.

It was for Polona Cehovin Susin a quite unique opportunity, she knew nothing of the country prior to her arrival but was warmly welcomed and met a group of players and coaches who had unbridled enthusiasm for the sport. “They liked table tennis so much that even after finishing the stretching exercises the girls jumped back to the tables”, said Polona. “Also, during the breaks, the coaches never stopped asking questions.”

Understandably the level of play was not high, the Iranian Women's team has not played internationally for twenty-five years but the positive response of those who attended the course bodes well for the future. Furthermore, Shahroukh Shahnazi, the President of the Iran Table Tennis Federation and Sima Limouchi who is Head of the Women's Table Tennis

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Association in Iran, and was the course coordinator, are both enthusiastic and both determined to promote female table tennis.

The situation in Iran is somewhat different from other countries. Iran possesses its own agency for women’s sport and to some extent achieves what other parts of the world are striving to achieve. In many parts of the globe the goal is to increase the number of women involved in every sphere of the sport; in Iran the majority of the coaches are women as are the umpires and referees in the Women's Table Tennis League.

A successful course and a bright future with the teenagers impressing Polona; the future for Iran lies with the cadet and junior players; the more senior players should not be ignored but it is the younger players who provide hope for the future and a growing stature for Iran in the world of female table tennis.

Jordan Croatia’s Branka Batinic, was the expert on duty at the first Women’s Forum in West Asia (30th November - 4th December 2003).

Held in Jordan the course lasted five days with discussions concentrating on the specific problems that women and girls face in the region when wanting to take part in sport.

Organiser of the forum was Dr. Rajae M. Naffa, the President of the Jordan Table Tennis Federation, who invited guests from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Arabic TTF, the Jordan Physical Education Faculty, the Jordan Olympic Committee, the National Umpires Organisation, school sport teachers, the Orthodoxy Club and the Jordan Table Tennis Federation.

Kenya Twenty-four delegates attended the first ever Women in Sport seminar to be staged in Kenya (10th-13th June 2003) with Anita Defrantz, the chair of the IOC Women in Sport Working Group leading proceedings.

One year later at the Nairobi, Parklands Sport Club (18th-22nd October 2004) Branka Batinic led a course which had twenty-six female participants, mostly teachers. “We had a lot of fun but also a lot of hard work”, said Branka Batinic.

“For some of the participants it was the first contact with table tennis.”

Organised by Jane Pinto, Dilshad Kanji and Andrew Mudibo the course proved a resounding success with a hall at the Parklands Club being made available and national coach, Kenny Mujimbo, assisting.

Malaysia An innovation at the Asian Championships held in Jeju, Korea (27th August-2nd September 2005) was the Women’s Workshop led by Sachiko Yokota-Heyerdahl, with the goal of finding ways to promote female participation in table tennis throughout Asia.

Furthermore, at the Asian Table Tennis Union Council Meeting held during the Championships, it was decided to organise a Women’s Working Group for Asia and to organise a Technical Course for Women.

The country selected to host the Technical Course for Women was Malaysia, the course being held in Kuala Lumpur (12th-13th November 2005). Part of the ITTF/ATTU Development Program, it was aimed at equipping women with technical knowledge relevant to table tennis.

The course attracted thirty-seven women plus five men from Iran, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia and included some members of the Women’s Working Group.

Chan Foong Keong who is the Secretary-General of the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia, whilst also being the Honorary Secretary General of the South East Asian Table Tennis Association and a member of the ITTF Board of Directors, conducted the course. He was assisted by Chee Shin Lian, the Women’s Working Group Co-ordinator for South East Asia.

The course gave those present a very thorough understanding of the technical requirements for organising international competitions. “A presentation was made showing the organisation of the 2000 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Kuala Lumpur”, continued Chan Foong Keong. “Participants were divided into groups and given an exercise to work on seeding, byes and making a draw for a major international tournament, whilst in between the lectures, everyone joined in some dance exercises which added light relief to the event.”

Everybody was very responsive and enthusiastic during the two day course with the chair of the Asian Table Tennis Union Women’s Working Group, Sachiko Yokota-Heyerdahl, being present to open the course and present ITTF certificates to the participants.

At the end of the course, all the participants were given a CD ROM containing the contents of the two days; the programme had proved a success and the request for more was the most popular comment at the end of proceedings.

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PHOTO BY SYRIA TTF

Slovenia Syria Trinidad & Tobago

Slovenia In the first week of November 2005, an ITTF/ETTU Women’s Course, part of the ITTF Development Program was held in Velenje, Slovenia.

Three experts, all with international experience were invited to speak; the course being aimed at the development of women’s table tennis in the region. All the Slovenian and Serbo-Croat speaking countries received invitations, whilst at the same time a training camp for cadet and junior girls was also held.

Neven Cegnar, coach of the Croatian Women’s National Team who sits courtside advising Tamara Boros is therefore well acquainted with Asian women’s table tennis, compared European and Asian table tennis. He gave three days of lectures that included practical sessions covering such areas as working with beginners, the differences in teaching basic techniques in Asia and Europe and the involvement of young players in the competition system.

Furthermore, the participants also heard how he has changed practice routines (nature, length, type of exercises) as a result of recent alterations to the rules and regulations governing table tennis.

Dr. Gordana Furjan-Mandic, University Professor for Aerobics, attended the last two days and explained how aerobics can help develop physical preparation for table tennis players whilst Zoran Kalinic worked in the training hall co-conducting the practices for the best cadet and junior players.

In addition he gave all the course participants a lesson on serving.

The course was conducted at a high level and was enhanced by the good facilities available in Velenje. The course participants had the opportunity to hear many new ideas and hopefully they will also incorporate those ideas in their daily work with girls. Meanwhile for the young players being coached by such experts was certainly a source of motivation.

Course members in Damascus

Trinidad & Tobago

The inaugural Women’s Coaches Course in Syria was held in Damascus under the leadership of Polona Cehovin Susin (20th26th November 2004); the theory sessions were held at the Faihaa Olympic Academy with the practical aspect of the course being staged at the Tishreen Sports Centre.

Each day lasted approximately seven hours with the participants coming from all the regions of Syria and Polona was suitably impressed with their knowledge.

“The level of understanding exceeded my expectations”, she said. “They had a good grasp of basic techniques but they didn’t have the experience of modern day techniques as they only had very limited experience in international events.” A further effect of the absence from the international scene was witnessed by the fact that the racket coverings were out of date and thus did not enhance the teaching of modern day techniques.

Most of the course members were former players who had recently moved into the coaching field and were working with children. Therefore, the accent for the course was operating with beginners and dealing with topics specifically related to helping children improve.

Everyone was willing to learn and this was a scenario that Polona found with everyone in Damascus. There was a willingness to promote table tennis and to encourage girls and women to play.

Furthermore, Polona was impressed and somewhat surprised by the overall situation in Syria where there are some fortyfive clubs and three thousand five hundred registered players.

Table tennis for leisure is very popular, the problem is the lack of national events which are usually only organised twice a year. Nevertheless, Polona was delighted by the positive attitude. Undoubtedly Syrian teams competing more regularly in competitions in the region and on the wider international scene would seem to be a goal that will be increasingly achieved in the very near future.

Trinidad & Tobago was the venue for the ITTF Women’s Course (9th-15th July 2005) to which all Caribbean countries were invited; the course was very capably led by Branka Batinic.

Stan Hunte, President of both the Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean Table Tennis Associations, alongside Vasdev Bob Roopnarine, the Trinidad & Tobago Secretary General, worked tirelessly to ensure a successful programme. Thirty-four women from Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana attended the course.

The course was given a very high status in Trinidad with Larry Romanay, President of the Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee, plus Catherine Ford from the Women in Sport Foundation both present at the Opening Ceremony.

However, there were difficulties but they could not be attributed to the organisers. Hurricane Emily struck during the course causing widespread chaos, major traffic jams, electrical disruptions and breakdown of the mobile phone network!

Also, there was a major explosion in town which caused panic and occurred less than ten metres from where Evelio Alvarez, LATTU Development Officer, was standing. Fortunately, Evelio was unharmed. Nevertheless, despite the forces of nature, the course was able to go ahead and proved successful.

PHOTO BY TRINIDAD & TOBAGO TTA

PHOTO BY POLONA CEHOVIN SUSIN

Zoran Kalinic with the girls in Velenje

Syria

Course members with Branka Batinic in the Caribbean island of Trinidad & Tobago

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INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC TABLE TENNIS COMMITTEE

Table Tennis On Wheels A sport that began from therapeutic roots fifty years ago, table tennis is now one of the most developed sports at both recreation and elite levels. Its expansion knows no limits.

Sports for the disabled began thanks to the commitment of the visionary, Dr. Ludwig Guttman. He used sport as a way of rehabilitation for the veterans of the Second World War, especially those with spinal cord injuries.

In 1948, Dr Ludwig Guttman organised the first recorded sport event for people with a disability in Stoke Mandeville, England. Undoubtedly it was no coincidence that the Games opened on the same day as the 1948 Olympics in London.

In Toronto, sixteen years later, athletes with other forms of disabilities were added, with the idea of all competing together.

Nowadays, the Paralympic Games is a sports event for elite athletes and the emphasis is on the achievement and potential more than on the disability. The movement continues to grow from four hundred athletes in Rome 1960, to more than four thousand in the Sydney Olympic Games.

Same Year The Paralympic Games now take place in the same year as the Olympic Games and since Seoul 1988, they have taken place in the same city. In 2000, an agreement was signed between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee ensuring that the Paralympic Games will now be organised by the same Organising Committee shortly after the Olympic Games.

Table tennis is one of the pioneers in disability sport and it has been present from the beginnings of the Paralympic movement. The first sub committee formed was in 1970 under the auspices of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation and assumed responsibility for wheelchair athletes.

During the First World Table Tennis Championships for all disabilities held in Slovenia’s Mateja Pintar, winner of the Class Three Women’s Singles event at the Olympic Games in 2004 PHOTO BY IVO DRINOVEC

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1982, the different sub committees decided to create a system that united all the disabilities.

The name of International Table Tennis Committee was inaugurated in 1990 as it was one of the first to unify all competitions for all disabilities. Players are separated in classes according to their abilities, such that the greater the disability on the player’s ability to move, the lower the class in which he or she will play. Players in wheelchairs are in Classes One to Five, the standing ones in Class Six to Ten and the intellectually disabled play in Class Eleven.

Events The most important event is the Summer Paralympics, followed by the World Championships, being held every four years with regional (continental) championships held every two years. In a new development, Top Twelve and Top Eight events have been introduced where the best players or teams based on the international ranking lists compete in closed events. There are also open tournaments held during the year on a regular basis.

The structure of Paralympic table tennis is divided in four regions: Europe, America, Africa-Middle East, and Far East South Pacific. Table tennis is one of the more widely practised sports by disabled people, over eighty countries play internationally.

The future of table tennis for the disabled is promising, the sport is moving forward.

Christian Lillieroos in China in 2002 PHOTO COURTESY OF IPTTC

Co-operation 2002 In January 2002, Christian Lillieroos, Chair of the International Table Tennis Committee for Disabled (ITTC) held exploratory meetings in China with the International Table Tennis Federation; the main item on the agenda being to increase co-operation between the two organisations.

The concept was that co-operation in table tennis should not be restricted solely to the Olympic and Paralympic Games but needed to include the Commonwealth Games and several of the continental championships such as the Pan-Am Games.

Christian Lillieroos met both Adham Sharara (ITTF President) and Jordi Serra (ITTF Executive Director) to investigate expanding the areas of co-operation and formalising them as no formal relationship currently existed After profitable discussion it was agreed ......The first area where co-operation was reasonable was the rules. The ITTC has a special service rule for wheelchair play and in wheelchair doubles the players do not alternate, they play as in tennis. It was agreed in principle that these rules should be included in the ITTF rules. ......The training of officials has been a concern in the past but as within the ITTF Umpires and Referees Committee there are experienced people with ITTC knowledge; if the ITTF decided to adopt ITTC rules, the training of officials would not be difficult to implement. ......Development is of course of general concern. The ITTF Development Program Manager, Glenn Tepper, was developing an ITTF Coaching Certification Program and together with the ITTF President he stated that a section about how to coach Paralympic Table Tennis athletes could be included.

Christian Lilieroos also met a delegation from the Chinese Paralympic Committee and was able to discuss the general development of Paralympic table tennis in China, how Paralympic table tennis players from China could best obtain ranking points to qualify for the major ITTC events and the organisation of table tennis at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2008.

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Name standardised at request of International Paralympic Committee

Integrated into the ITTF Coach Accreditation System in Oslo

New Title PHOTO COURTESY OF IPTTC

The International Table Tennis Committee for Disabled changed its name to International Paralympic Table Tennis in 2003 often with the word `Committee’ added; this was to fall in line with a request from the International Paralympic Committee to standardise the names of all its sports’ committees as well as to increase the level of association with the Paralympic Movement as a whole.

The first table tennis sub-committee was formed in the 1970s under the then International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (now the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation) and was only responsible for wheelchair events.

Norway

Vincent Boury of France is the elected Athletes Representative on the IPTTC, in addition he is the Development Officer and works as a Computer Security expert, specialising in Microsoft Technology. He is a highly motivated elite athlete succeeding in both his sporting and working life, an inspiration to all.

Classifications

Co-operation

Combined classifications which led to the formation of one table tennis committee followed the successful introduction of standing players into the 1976 Paralympic Games for Amputees and Les Autres, the staging of the 1980 Paralympic Games for Cerebral Palsied and in 1982 in the inaugural World Championships for all Disabilities.

Co-operation with the International Table Tennis Federation has always been promoted. A meeting was held in May 2003 in Madrid at which the latter’s President and Executive Director plus the International Paralympic Committee President and Director of Sport were present.

The aim of the International Paralympic Committee is to continue to foster close links with the International Table Tennis Federation for the development of greater opportunities for table tennis athletes with a disability. A goal which will benefit not only disabled sport but all sport.

Combined Committee In the 1988 Seoul Paralympic Games organised under the auspices of the International Coordinating Committee (later the International Paralympic Committee), the combined committee for table tennis was formed, with Thomas Kanhede from the International Sports Organisation of Disabled (catering mainly for amputees) as the chair and Ted Inge of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation as secretary.

Pioneer Sport

The principles proposed by the International Paralympic Table Tennis Committee in 2003 were: ......Around the world, there is an increasing body of legislation that prohibits discrimination on the grounds of disability and this also applies to sport. ......Sport should be run on the basis of the sport not on the basis of disability so emphasising the sports rather than disability model. In agreeing on this, it should be acknowledged that there is a need for minor adaptations to the rules of the game to enable athletes with a disability to participate on an equal basis. ......In order to achieve non-discrimination as well as economies of scale, there should be one organisation for table tennis catering for men and women as well as those with and without a disability. ......Classification is therefore the only major innovation incorporated to ensure fair competition among the different disability groups.

Outcome The outcome was that the International Paralympic Table Tennis Committee (IPTTC) will become integrated into the ITTF Coach Accreditation System over a period of time.

The IPTTC will create a six hour course to add to the ITTF Level One Coaching Course of twenty-four hours. Coaches who complete the requirements of the thirty hours course will be ITTF and IPTTC Level One coaches. Meanwhile, anyone who has already completed the ITTF Level One Course need only do the six hour IPTTC Course. At Level Two and Level Three, `athletes with disabilities’ will be a fully integrated part of the course.

Integration Furthermore, at the Volkswagen 48th World Championships a rule was passed to allow for the integration of IPTTC and ITTF athletes and a process has commenced to fully integrate IPTTC and ITTF. In matches where paralympic athletes are playing against able bodied athletes, the able bodied athletes must follow the paralympic rules; thus, if the able bodied athlete playing a wheelchair athlete serves short or wide it is a let and in doubles a wheelchair pair are not required to alternate.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN TTA

The use of the name International Table Tennis for the Disabled dated back to as early as 1980, eight years before the formation of the first combined committee.

At the Sports Assembly during the Barcelona Paralympic Games in 1992, run under the auspices of the International Paralympic Committee, Tony Teff was elected as the chair, with Peter Glaese as the treasurer.

Table tennis was without doubt the pioneer sport as it combined all disability classes and was also believed to be the sport practised by the greatest number of persons with disabilities.

Principles

Norway is one of the first countries in the world to have fully integrated all aspects of paralympic athletes with able bodied, a feat achieved under the progressive leadership of Norway TTA Secretary-General, Svenn-Erik Nordby.

In 2005 at the Norway Open, former World Champion, Jörgen Persson assisted with the presentation of prizes whilst connected to the tournament was an International Paralympic Table Tennis Committee Coaching Conference organised by Christian Lillieroos; the main purpose of the conference being to analyse the needs for Coach Education and to adopt a Coach Accreditation System.

IPTTC Coaching Conference in Oslo

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ITTF LEVEL ONE COACHING MANUAL

Best Seller The English version of the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual was released in March 2004; a second printing took place in June 2004 with a total of four thousand five hundred being sold worldwide.

Such has been the success of the publication that a third printing took place in March 2006.

In May 2005 the manual became available in French and in September 2005 in Spanish.

ITTF Coach Accreditation The manual contains four cumulative coaching courses including: Community Leader (three hours), School Teacher (6 hours), Club Coach (12 hours) and ITTF Level One (Twenty-four hours) The various sections include: Generic Coaching Principles, Coaching Beginners and School Coaching, Techniques Beyond Basics, An Introduction to Physical Training, An Introduction to Sports Sciences plus Tournament Organisation and Rules Evaluation.

Welcomed Worldwide The ITTF Level One Coaching Manual has been well received; the comments have been most favourable; a credit to the efforts of Glenn Tepper, ITTF Development Manager.

I was very happy to find many ideas which are very modern and cover all the subjects. I found in that excellent book, many good exercises for beginners but also for experienced coaches, as well as good advice for them.

For me, it is even more than a level 1 for the coaches... in our country, in any case.

As you probably know, I wrote many technical articles for the French TT Federation, with some success, I hope but I am very fond of your book, which is an example for the technical writers of every country Phillipe Molodzoff France TTF Coach Educator

Congratulations on writing the coaching manual for coaching level one! I`m sure that it was a very difficult task, but you managed to put together an exciting and interesting book that will help international table tennis grow Benone Grigore India National Coach I did congratulate you for the ITTF Level One Manual in Doha. It’s good work and will, indeed, be used over here Matti Kolppanen Finland TTA President Finally about your book, I should say that it is wonderful, unique, which could have been accomplished only with unceasing efforts.

Congratulations Sima Limoochi Islamic Women's Sports Federation The most complete and comprehensive coaches instructional tool for intro to intermediate coaching I've seen in my twenty-seven years of activity John Allen USATT National Coaching Chairman

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English French Spanish

I have now read the ITTF Level 1 Coaching Manual and I find it very good. Especially when there are four levels, from community leader to ITTF Level One Coaching Course. I also like that there are a lot of nice pictures that shows different moves and how to do different exercises Mats Hedin Sweden TTA Coach Education All what I have seen from the material that you have presented is very good and accurate. You have a rare talent in presenting things in a uncomplicated but yet structured way.

Mikael Andersson ITTF Junior Program Co-ordinator

Established 2004

Community Leader Course Level: basic introduction Target Group: community leaders Accreditation: non accredited course, participation certificate presented (3 hours) Resources: ITTF Level One Coaching Manual

School Teachers Course Level: basic introduction for school teachers Target Group: school teachers Accreditation: non accredited course, participation certificate presented (6 hours) Resources: ITTF Level One Coaching Manual

Club Coach Course Level: basic introduction for club coaches Target Group: club coaches Accreditation: non accredited course, participation certificate presented (12 hours) Resources: ITTF Level One Coaching Manual

ITTF Level One Course Level: base level Target Group: ITTF Development Program Courses, Olympic Solidarity Course Accreditation: coaching course (24 hours); coaching practice including five hours of supervised coaching (30 hours); IPTTC Level One (6 hours) Resources: ITTF Level One Coaching Manual, IPTTC Manual

As a professor at the Faculty of Sport in Ljubljana I always try to get for my students as much information as possible. ITTF Level One Coaching Manual is certainly the first book they consult and study. I must say you did a great work with this manual and I know how hard it is to publish such a book Miran Kondric PhD Ljubljana University, Faculty of Sport

ITTF Level Two Course

I wanted to drop you a note and let you know how impressed I am with your work in producing the ITTF Level One Coaching Manual. In fact, I recently had an opportunity to put the manual to the test, as I gave a week long junior development camp in Indianapolis. I found your materials very age appropriate and the skills progressions right on the mark. The excellent Stroke Cards, Activity Cards, and Awards Programs were very much enjoyed by the children. I have been creating my own teaching materials for many years now and I am very impressed with this manual. I will be urging the USATT to adopt this certification program as its own.

Richard McAfee USATT

ITTF Level Three Course

Level: intermediate Target Group: state, provincial level coaches; ITTF Development Program courses; Olympic Solidarity courses Accreditation: coaching course (36 hours); coaching practice including ten hours of supervised coaching (50 hours) Prerequisite: ITTF Level One qualification

Level: advanced Target Group: national level coaches, continental high performance coaches Accreditation: coaching course (48 hours); coaching practice including fifteen hours of supervised coaching (80 hours) Prerequisite: ITTF Level Two qualification

ITTF High Performance Level: high performance Target Group: national team coaches Accreditation: coaching course (3 months); coaching practice (100 hours) Prerequisite: ITTF Level Three qualification

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Ishraq Film Award

The International Table Tennis Federation produced a ten minute video on the Ishraq project; the video was entered in the prestigious `International Sports Movies and TV Festival’.

From several thousand films, approximately two hundred are chosen for showing at the festival.

The table tennis film was entered in the `Sports Society and Solidarity' section; more than four hundred films were entered with five films being selected by the jury as finalists in each of the seven categories.

Milan The finalists were invited to attend the Annual International Sports Movies and Television Festival in Milan, Italy, on 3rd November 2004.

At the Gala evening a trailer was presented for each film and the winners announced; for each category there was also a `People’s Choice Award’, which was decided through voting on the Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs’ website.

Votes The ITTF film, `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls - Ishraq’, gained ninetytwo per cent of the on-line votes, won the People’s Choice Award for the category and also received the `Honourable Mention Award’.

Produced by ITTF Development Manager, Glenn Tepper; TMS Middle East representative, Sanya El-Aroussi; Population Council Co-ordinator, Nadia Zibani plus the Egyptian Table Tennis Association and the people of El-Minia; the film thus gained well deserved recognition by the Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs ITTF President, Adham Sharara, was present to receive both awards.

PHOTO BY AFGHANISTAN TTA

ITTF FILMS ISHRAQ & AFGHANISTAN

Women involved in table tennis in Afghanistan, a source of motivation for the ITTF film

Reflecting Social Change In 2005, as the previous year, the International Table Tennis Federation produced a ten minute video; the subject on this occasion being the project in Afghanistan.

The selection procedure was the same as in 2004; the film was entered in the prestigious `International Sports Movies and TV Festival’ and from over a thousand films, `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls-Afghanistan` was chosen as one of the two hundred films to be viewed at the Gala night.

Once again, an ITTF Development Program film was held in great esteem and had gained due recognition.

The film was shown at the Sport Movies & Television Festival held in Milan, Italy from 27th October to 1st November 2005 and like its predecessor impressed many people.

The Afghanistan film was also a joint collaboration between the International Table Tennis Federation, the International Olympic Committee, the Afghanistan Olympic Committee and Tamasu Butterfly.

The Poster For The Film `Breaking Down Barriers with Table Tennis Balls - Ishraq’ The success of the film highlighted a major role that an international sporting organisation is able to fulfill. It may well be that such prestigious events as the Olympic Games and World Championships attract the media spotlight but there is a humanitarian element to the work of a sporting governing body. The Ishraq Program brought table tennis to members of the community who would not otherwise have been afforded the opportunity. It opened doors, the film clearly illustrated that fact and as a result it was justifiably recognised.

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REFLECTIONS

PHOTO BY MARIANN DOMONKOS

Nanthana Komwong from Thailand, a tsunami hit country, competed in the Olympic Games in 2004. She reached Athens by succeeding in the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament; for women arguably the strongest of all the Olympic qualification events.

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“When you are ready to go into Afghanistan, let us know, we will help” Kimihiko Tamasu

Hikosuke Tamasu (1920-2004)

On Thursday 2nd July 2004, Hikosuke Tamasu, the President of the Tamasu Company, died at the age of eighty-three; his contribution to table tennis was immense and one of the major beneficiaries of his efforts and his philosophywas the ITTF Development Program.

Born on 20th August 1920 he was an accomplished player and on 19th December 1950 he launched the Tamasu company with his father as President and himself as Managing Director.

In the Second World War he had been a soldier stationed near Hiroshima and had witnessed the horrors of the atomic bomb that was dropped on the city. He wanted a brand name for his product, he wanted something that everyone liked; soon after starting the company he decided the name should be `Butterfly’; he had witnessed the hatred of war, he believed everyone liked the butterfly.

Anniversary On the fiftieth anniversary Butterfly donated fifty tables to worthy causes within Japan and continued the policy of donating one table for each each year of their anniversary; so on the fifty-first anniversary it was fifty-one tables and so on. It was a magnificent gesture and one which reflects the attitude of the great man In 2004, Kimihiko Tamasu, continued the outstanding work of his father with the company announcing, that the ITTF Development Program would be the beneficiary of the fifty-third anniversary tables and this would continue every subsequent Olympic year.

Afghanistan Furthermore, long before any international sports federation had organised any activity in Afghanistan, Butterfly made the offer: “When you are ready to go into Afghanistan, let us know, we will help”.

Almost two years after that offer, the International Table Tennis Federation and the International Olympic Committee made a joint project with regards to Afghanistan. Butterfly donated almost US$25,000 worth of tables, rackets, rubbers and clothing.

A major effect of the support was that Afghanistan became the two hundreth member of the International Table Tennis Federation at the Annual General Meeting held in Shanghai in 2005.

Tsunami In 2004, the company, as promised, donated fifty-three table tennis tables to the ITTF Development Program.

The with the beneficiaries were: Morocco (twelve tables), Iraq (twelve tables), Cuba (twelve tables), Kiribati (six tables), the Cook Islands (five tables) and Guam (six tables).

Furthermore, the Tamasu Company supported the ITTF `Tsunami Rebuilding’ Project and underlined their concern for the well being of their fellow man.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE DAINTON

PHOTO BY TAMASU BUTTERFLY

The Tamasu Legacy

A coaching clinic in Guam, made possible thanks to the support of Tamasu Butterfly

Oceania Butterfly has also been a supporter of the Oceania Development Program since inception in 1999, donating rackets and balls to every country visited by the Oceania Development Officer.

A notable factor is that the areas where the goods are being sent are not likely to provide large markets for the Tamasu Company. They are donated in the spirit envisioned by the founder Hikosuke Tamasu, continued today by his son Kimihiko and by the new Company President Shuzaku Yamada. It is the spirit of promoting peace and understanding through our great sport of table tennis.

Hikosuke Tamasu is sadly missed but without any doubt whatsoever his legacy and spirit will live on long into the future.

PHOTO BY STAG

A Family Company

Vivek Kohli Managing Director of Stag

Stag, a family company based in India, has together with Tamasu Butterfly, been one of the strongest supporters of the ITTF Development Program.

Led by Vivek Kohli, Stag very often puts development before profit and regularly assist in areas where economic factors mean a limited potential market.

In 2001, Adham Sharara (ITTF President) and Glenn Tepper (ITTF Manager) met with the Federation of International Table Tennis Manufacturers to ask for assistance with the expanded ITTF Development Program.

Stag immediately offered forty of their best table tennis tables without condition.

Now they supply the majority of ITTF Equipment Assistance in Africa, Asia and Oceania. The company offers cost price and also provides their best table tennis

table for the price of their hobby table plus three star balls for the price of their training balls. The offers are greatly appreciated by the benefiting associations, whilst allowing the ITTF to spread their resources further.

For the Tsunami Rebuilding Project. Stag offered five hundred rackets, six thousand balls and one hundred shirts. Meanwhile, when the earthquake hit Pakistan in 2005, they sent a large package of clothing.

In 2005, Vivek suffered the unexpected loss of his wife and best friend. As a legacy to her memory, Stag offered twenty tables per year for the next five years for women’s projects connected to the ITTF Development Program.

On behalf of all the developing countries and the ITTF. Thank you Stag! Thank you Vivek!

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REFLECTIONS Vanuatu PHOTO BY VANUATU TTA

An Idyllic Job Or Not? The role of being the Development Officer in Oceania might sound the dream job; certainly it has its advantages but as Steve Dainton explains, there are moments that make you think and you may well stare harsh reality in the face.

Travelling in the South Pacific developing the game we all love best.

What a life, what a job you must think, I only need to mention Fiji, Tahiti, Vanuatu and even Australia and I am quite sure these beautiful images are aroused.

Now wait, before you start e-mailing me to ask if a Development Officer needs an assistant or if there’s room in the proverbial suitcase, there is more you should know. The fact is that this `Imagery’ is only a small part of the reality of the South Pacific countries.

Real Challenges There are real people in these island countries, real towns and cities (some that often don’t have a beach) and most of the countries, especially the smaller Island countries, would be classed as `developing’. Most face real challenges: such as trying to develop with a lack of resources; poverty and the possibility that global warming is even threatening their very existence.

However, even with the problems, one thing that is starting to grow in many parts of the Oceania region is table tennis.

Several years ago Glenn Tepper (ITTF Development Program Manager) saw an opportunity in Oceania. A chance to start a development program with the purpose to promote, teach and in general develop table tennis in the region; with what started as a dream and a great idea, turned out to be extremely successful, lets see how.

Land Table tennis does not need a great deal of space, most of the countries in the South Pacific simply do not have an excess of this most important asset; for example, Tuvalu is the smallest of the countries that I visited, the capital Funafuti has a total landmass of 2.8 square kilometres. Soccer is their favourite sport but where do you put a soccer field? Currently they play on the airport runway!

However, that is no surprise considering how much of the land the runway takes up. Table tennis is thus a more feasible sport for a country like Tuvalu. It would come as no surprise that the sport is becoming more popular in the island.

In Kiribati, also, there is a similar situation with very little land, table tennis is now officially the second most popular sport in the country.

78 Development Program 2006

Economies of Scale Compared to many sports table tennis is relatively economical to set up, play and organise. Sending a table tennis team or individual athlete abroad to compete or train in a sport like table tennis is much more realistic for these developing small island countries.

In recent years the two main regional table tennis competitions (The Oceania Championships and the South Pacific Games) have seen the largest number of countries enter than ever before. Most of the countries having a gross national product per capita of less than US$2,000; thus it is quickly understood how important it is for the South Pacific countries to keep costs low.

Legacy Largely the success of table tennis in Oceania has come about by education and by leaving a lasting legacy in the country so that the development of table tennis can continue. Educating coaches to go on and teach the people within their villages, clubs and countries has helped to achieve this goal. A coaching manual that teaches about general coaching, skills, rules and most importantly how to make our game fun and enjoyable has been the backbone of this programme. The manual is given to the coaches for use in their future work, once they have completed the course. The programme has also seen the rise of a national development officer scheme, locally trained and employed table tennis coaches to develop the sport in their country. Kiribati, Tonga, Palau and Tuvalu currently have employed national development officers.

Assistance but few resources, it is very difficult to achieve large results.

However, the resourcefulness of some of the people continues to amaze. Who would have thought that table tennis racquets could be somehow made out of coconut shells. Butterfly in Japan and Australia have supported the program since its inception. You can’t imagine the difference that the twenty development rackets and two hundred and eighty-eight table tennis balls donated by Butterfly to each country visited can make.

The smiles on the faces of the children that gain a chance to use this equipment and try table tennis for their first time is

priceless. The ITTF is set to help even more in the future with table donations, which will hopefully see even further growth of our loved sport in the region and even more smiles on young peoples faces.

Relationships Finally and most importantly it has been about building relationships.

The Oceania Table Tennis Federation has now built up excellent relationships with the countries and people (or friends as they have come to be to both Glenn and myself) of Oceania. The achievement has only been possible owing to the continued support, ongoing communications and the fact that the people within the South Pacific must be amongst the nicest, easygoing people in the world.

On the other hand and before you email me for that assistant job, I must tell you there have been some experiences that may make you rethink. For example; sitting anxiously through a super typhoon in Guam that caused massive destruction and took lives and developing table tennis in the Solomon Islands at a time of extreme instability are just two things that may make you think twice.

Patience Also patience is a must. You should never be in a rush in the South Pacific because time is of no essence, you definitely do not need a watch, there is a strict time code that only the locals in each of the countries understand. It even occasionally works for the airlines flight schedules. My record so far is a two and a half day delay! It should not have been a surprise because it was the airline that the locals have come to know as `Air Maybe’.

Although there are problems and difficulties and though there is still much work to be done, the table tennis seed has been sown in Oceania, especially in the South Pacific.

I have been fortunate enough help in the nurturing of a program that was largely already implemented. There is no doubt that the positives of being the development officer in Oceania, especially the snorkelling, far outweigh the negatives; super typhoons are definitely not fun.

So who would trade developing the sport we love in one of the best regions in the world, Oceania? Very few I suspect.

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