Petra Sherling has rejected after a harsh electoral showdown with the basic ITTF election event in Doha, however, it is not the minimum difference from the other candidate, Kalil al -Mohantanti from Qatar, but the episodic climate of the General Assembly!
The Hellenic Federation of the sport was represented by President Panagiotis Tzovolos, and this was his first trip abroad with his new position.
The vote was completed first with Sherling receiving 104 votes and Al Mohantadi 102! However, the process of the General Assembly was not completed, the Vice -Presidents did not come out, for example, because the Qatarian candidate and many of his supporters in the room openly challenged the result, caused great intensity (with scenes that seemed to be in direct online broadcasting and, of course) Sherling for the hotel.
In her simple report, ITTF, after reporting Sherling’s re -election for her second four -year term, notes: “The annual general meeting had to be interrupted after disturbing by strangers. As a result of this suspension, the annual General Meeting should be re -convened specifically for the election of the Vice -Presidents. ITTF President Petra Sorling will announce the new date in due course. This repetition must take place by November 2025 at the latest, in order to comply with the four -year term of office of the Executive Council, as defined by the ITTF statutes (Article 1.87.1). ”
The turmoil was caused as soon as the results of the electronic vote were heard. In the written votes of the representatives, the candidate from the country, which just a few hours ago hosted the World Championship, had 98 votes and the Swedish candidate, an official of the International Olympic Committee, 87. In the line votes, Sweden.
As reported by international news agencies, “a series of speakers in the room strongly complained about the vote, saying that when the nominal call of the members of the National Federations at the beginning of the meeting- almost ten hours earlier- it was recognized that they were 16.”
The same speakers from Qatar were shouting at the bureau for about half an hour “and demanded the countries that came later, insisting that the delayed arrivals (after the nominal call) could not vote.”
ITTF executives explained by their part that “208 Member Federations were registered to attend that the purpose of the nominal call was to find a quorum and that a member of the member who arrives late – in person or online – had the right to vote”, but that did not.
Always according to international reports, officials from the World Federation were escorted and transferred to a hotel, including Sherling, because it was considered threatened their physical integrity …
Within the chaos of the assembly, the convention was interrupted and the delegates were finally informed that the ITTF Executive Board would set an extraordinary meeting to decide the next steps.
It should be added that Sherling is one of just three female presidents in the world federations of most of the 30 Olympic sports of the summer Olympics.
Al Mohananti has been a member of the ITTF board for most of the last three decades.
* Otherwise, after welcoming an unprecedented number of nominations, the ITTF 2025 Annual General Assembly has elected a number of cities that will organize subsequent World Championships.
Astana will host the final of the ITTF World Championships in 2027.
Fukukoka will organize the finals of the ITTF World Championship in 2028.
Rio de Janeiro has taken over the final of the ITTF World Championships in 2029. It will be the first world championship to ever take place in Latin America.
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