Following the inability of Africa’s best ranked player, Aruna Quadri to pick one of the slots at the continental qualification for Tokyo 2020 in Tunisia, the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) has said that the qualification of the Nigerian star is important to Africa.
Speaking through its President Khaled El-Salhy, the body said that considering the exploits of Quadri globally, his presence in Tokyo would inspire other African players in Tokyo.
Citing the benchmark set by Quadri at Rio 2016 with his quarterfinal feat, the ATTF boss players like Aruna Quadri cannot afford to miss out of the party in Japan.
The continental body, however, wish the Nigerian a quick recovery from the recurrent thigh injury that forced him to withdraw from the qualifiers in Tunis.
“For sure the participation of Aruna Quadri in the Olympic Games is very important to ATTF as the top African ranked player and his expected super performance in such special event as he did in the last edition in Rio 2016. He should have qualified in the African Qualification Tournament, unfortunately he could not continue due to injury during the third stage of group matches.
“Now the situation is that, we have fulfilled two qualification stages (Team Qualification & Continental Qualification), ATTF should work hard together with NTTF for the coming stages of qualification,” ATTF helmsman said.
According to ATTF chief, the first qualification for Quadri is to attend the final World Singles Qualifying Tournament which will be held in Qatar on May 28 to 31, with eight top players expected to qualify from the tournament.
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He said the last option which the Nigerian had met is through the June 2020 ITTF World Ranking with top 13 players in the world expected to get their qualification through their world rating.
For the Olympic Games, El-Salhy said 86 men and 86 women are expected to compete at Tokyo 2020 with each country having two players each in men and women events.
For now, Olajide Omotayo remains the only Nigerian male player that has qualified with Nigeria having one more Olympic slot.
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