In November 2021, Petra Sorling was elected the first female and seventh President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). In a first visit to Africa since she was elected, the ITTF president was in Algiers, the Algerian capital city, to witness the 2022 African Championships as well as rub mind with the continent’s table tennis administrators at the Annual General Meeting of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) held on Sunday, September 4. On the sideline of the championship and meeting, Sorling spoke with the media on several issues ranging from the 2023 World Championships in Durban, South Africa to hosting more World Table Tennis (WTT) series in Africa.
What has been your impression about Africa in terms of table tennis growth since you assumed office as ITTF President?
I know the table tennis situation in Africa very well since I was actually living in Kenya between 2008 and 2009. I know there is a lot of commitment. But I also know we have to start from different levels. Africa is a very big continent and there are different challenges around Africa. What I see here is that the level of play is higher than I expected it to be and there is also good competition between the top teams. But of course, the level of participation in terms of number could have been better or higher. Thus, I will encourage the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) to look into the future.
What are your takeaways from the Congress and meetings with the African leaders in Algiers?
The takeaway from the African Congress is that there were good discussions and engagement. This is very important because sometimes the debates and discussions used to be takeaways from the meeting, not too much agenda. There were also many potential organisers of the events next year, which I think is also a positive sign in terms of development. Also, I could see that not very many out of the 54 members were present. This is also something to look into for the future and how to make it hybrid so that everyone can attend despite the cost of going to the Congress. In general, it was very professionally organised and I also felt there was a positive atmosphere and I felt that different neighbours wanted the best for table tennis, and it was really a pleasure to attend.
South Africa will be hosting the World Championship in 2023, what are your expectations from the host and the continent?
I’m expecting the World championship in Durban to be something very different from other world championships. We haven’t been to Africa since 1939 and it was in Egypt at that time. My learning from hosting the event and also in Sweden in 2018 is that every country has to do its thing. Yes, of course, we should look and learn from China this year but mainly Durban should try to do their thing and to make this championship an African championship with all the focus on social responsibility that I know is needed. I would also want to see them create some legacies in the event, which means that not only focusing on the events next year but what will be the legacy after the event in Durban, South Africa and Africa. This is what I like to see the focus on.
What level of support should South Africa and the continent expect from ITTF in 2023?
I believe that we already contribute and cooperate in a very good way together with the continent and our members of ATTF. So, I just see this cooperation as already starting to continue.
What areas do you think the continent still needs to work on and what will be your advice to the continent?
There is a big passion for table tennis and for sports in Africa. I like the African members to stay confident and believe in themselves and organise events because hosting events in your country will also make table tennis more visible for the young players in the different countries, and through this, we can grow the sport in all of Africa. I think what is needed is also to spread and have diversity within Africa as a continent and I think ATTF together with its members are on a good pathway. I just want to see that the speed of the transformation is ongoing. It is always good to have high ambitions.
Where do you see Africa in terms of good governance in the next few years?
Already through the continental agreement, we are working hard to improve good governance in all areas of table tennis and I see that Africa, as well as other continents, have improved a lot. I see that this is a work that is never-ending and I think that it will continue and I hope that with the structure that is in place the ITTF, through the Members Relations Department, can support in this area.
In terms of development, what level of support should Africa be expecting from ITTF?
Well, it takes two to tango and there is an agreement at the bottom, I also think that we from the ITTF side need to always see what we can do better also in terms of development, how we can calibrate the product to be tailor-made for the different needs. There are different needs between different continents but there are also different needs within the continent and that is clear to see being here these days. There is a lot of potential but of course, there is a lot of need.
What has been the contribution of the African representatives in the ITTF EC?
I’m extremely pleased to have two colleagues from Africa on the Executive Committee (EC). Having 54 members, I believe it is accurate to say that it is time for Africa to have two EC members, and having said that, I’m also pleased to see that these two EC colleagues with high seniority. I have the pleasure already and the last time to work very hard and close together with Dr. Alaa Meshref and now I have the pleasure to also have Wahid Oshodi in the team. He is also not a beginner in this area, he was before in charge of our Nomination Committee, so he knows the work very well. So, both of them have taken on heavy portfolios since we were elected in Houston last November.
Where is the place of Africa in the history of table tennis?
Well, that is a very big question and I think that as we have 227 members within the ITTF and we say table tennis for all for life. It is much more than top or elite table tennis that we see in the Olympics games. However, we see that Africa was also part of the quarter-final in the last Olympics games. Not that Africa is not on the top level, but I see Africa as a player on all levels of table tennis also for the future.
What are the plans to get more African countries hosting WTT events next year?
Well, WTT was kind of unlucky to launch a new system of playing and their new rules in the pandemic. So, 2022 was the first year when we could really try and start up WTT. However, we saw already that there are a lot of youth events, a couple of them in Tunisia recently and we see how these have raised the level. For example, I was in Tunisia for the Junior Championship in 2014 and if I compare now, and nine years later, I believe that WTT has really increased the level of presentation of the event in Tunisia and I look forward to more African countries taking on WTT events. I believe what Tunisia did is a good one by starting with the youth and you can continue to take on senior events. I hope and I’m sure it is going to take place more in Africa in 2023.