The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ATTF

  • Lagos backs ‘worthy son’ Oshodi’s bid for ATTF President

    Lagos backs ‘worthy son’ Oshodi’s bid for ATTF President

    The Lagos State Government has endorsed the candidacy of its former Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Enitan Oshodi, for the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) Presidency.

    Oshodi  will be contesting  for the position at the ATTF’s  2024 Elective Annual General Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on October 15.

    In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, the government expressed its support for Oshodi’s candidacy, citing ‘his genuine passion for table tennis over the past decades’.

    Under Oshodi’s leadership as Commissioner, Lagos became a prominent destination for table tennis globally.

    “We are backing him and wish him all the best. He is a worthy Lagosian who has encouraged many of our youths to take up the game as professionals. Besides, he has been at the forefront of our talent search. He has groomed many,” Omotoso quoted Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as saying.

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    Oshodi began his journey as the Chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association and became Commissioner in 2011 under Governor Babatunde Fashola.

    During his tenure as Commissioner, Lagos hosted the highly successful National Sports Festival, ‘Eko 2012’ and established the state as a key sports hub in Africa with the introduction of the International Sports Classics series.

    Sanwo-Olu highlighted Oshodi’s rising profile in the world of table tennis, stating: “We are excited that Mr. Oshodi has continued to make Lagos and Nigeria proud with his impeccable record within and outside Africa. In 2021, he became a leading figure in world table tennis; he was elected Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and Deputy President of ATTF. We believe his election will positively impact table tennis and sports in general, and we are confident that Lagos will continue to be a leading city in table tennis in Africa.”

    If elected, Oshodi will be the second Nigerian to hold the prestigious position, following the steps of Engr. Segun George, a former ATTF President. His election will also make him the only Nigerian heading a continental Sports Federation.

  • ATTF appoints Nigeria’s Tandoh as pioneer COO

    ATTF appoints Nigeria’s Tandoh as pioneer COO

    Former Executive Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) Kweku Tandoh has been appointed as the pioneer Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF).

    Tandoh’s appointment was ratified at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of ATTF in Tunis at the ongoing ITTF Africa Championships on Thursday September 15.

    He is expected to oversee the affairs of the continental body managing all its activities across Africa as well as liaise with would-be sponsors of the federation.

    Read Also: ITTF, ATTF laud South Africa over historic World Championships

    Tandoh has been part of the several major tournaments in Nigeria having been the pioneer LOC member of the rested Lagos International Sports Classics and was also the secretary general of the most successful National Sports Festival in Nigeria, Eko 2012.

    Tandoh was also recently appointed as the Secretary General of the 2024 National Sports Festival tagged Gateway 2024 by the Ogun State Government.

  • Africa honours Ghana’s table tennis legend, Ethel Jacks

    When Ethel Jacks walked into the venue of the 2019 ITTF Africa Junior and Cadet Championships – Sports Trust Emporium in Accra, Ghana not many of the players knew who she was.  But some of the older coaches quickly recognised her and started exchanging pleasantries with the former African champion.

    Her call at the venue yesterday was elicited by a special award bestowed on her by the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) in appreciation of her contributions to table tennis.

    Although she is 76 years old, you could not miss the athleticism in Jacks’ steps and strides. When her profile was read before the presentation, an excited Jacks was welcomed to the stage by ATTF President, Khaled El-Salhy, who was assisted by President, Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), Mawuko Afadzinu.

    In her remarks, the beaming septuagenarian said: “I am so happy that this long-awaited recognition finally came to me in my lifetime. I am grateful to the ATTF for this special award and I believe this will also motivate the present players, showing them that their labour will not be in vain.”

    The occasion must have brought back floods of pleasant memories for Jacks. It certainly brought back a recall of her great exploits with her late doubles’ partner, Ernestina Akuetteh.  In 1964 and 1968, Jacks partnered Akuetteh to win the women’s doubles gold medals at the African Championships. Fittingly, Jacks called for a one-minute silence for the great Akuetteh of blessed memory.

    For the ATTF helmsman, the award was in recognition of Jacks’ immense contributions to the sport. “Ethel Jacks put Ghana on the African map with her performance in the 1960s and 1970s. She is one of the three players in Africa to have won the African Championship thrice in the history of the tournament. So ATTF believes honouring her would inspire upcoming players in Ghana to aim high and exceed Ethel Jacks’ feat,” the ATTF chief said.

    In her playing days, Jacks won the women’s singles title thrice at the African Championships commencing in 1964 in Accra, 1968 in Lagos, Nigeria and 1974 in Alexandria, Egypt. Her record has only been equaled by Nigeria’s Bose Kaffo and Olufunke Oshonaike.

  • 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES: ATTF confirms Egypt’s qualification

    The result of the absence of  the Nigeria women team from the just concluded ITTF World Team Championship have started emerging as the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) has confirmed Egypt’s qualification for the women team event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

    Paucity of fund prevented the Nigeria women team from making it to Malaysia and for this reason they are automatically out of the race against Egypt in the continental slot for the women team event.

    At the Malaysia tourney,  the Egyptian  ladies were unbeaten in the group matches and they made it to the quarterfinal stage. But their unbeaten run was halted by Croatia in the quarter-final when the European giant defeated the Dina Meshref-inspired side 3-1 to finish among the top eight teams in Division Two made up of 24 teams. The defeat also punctured the dream of Egypt making it to the Championship Division of the competition.

    “I can confirm to you that Egypt has already got the continental slot for the Women’s Team in Rio following the absence of Nigeria at the ITTF World Team Championship and also taking into consideration that Egyptian Women’s team performance very well to move up by four steps in the world rating. They were ranked 33 following their performance at the 2014 edition in Tokyo, Japan, but their performance in Malaysia has shot them to 29 in the world. With this development, the distance between Egypt and Nigeria is quite far for any team to qualify ahead of the North African team,”ATTF President, Khaled El-Salhy confirmed.

     

  • Nigeria crucial to table tennis globally – ATTF

    Nigeria crucial to table tennis globally – ATTF

    With the stride coupled with the performance of its players at global level, Nigeria remains crucial to the rising profile of table tennis in the world and particularly in Africa.

    These were the views of the President, African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy, who told SportingLife at the just concluded ITTF Africa Senior Cup in Cameroon that in the last three years, Nigeria has indeed helped to raise the profile of the sport in Africa with the staging of the Lagos Classics in 2013.

    He, however, said that he was impressed with what Nigeria has attracted to Africa as the world table tennis governing body, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) now see the West African nation as crucial to its programmes in the world.

    “Nigeria started to come back on the right track three years ago under the leadership of Wahid Oshodi, and I can see how much promotion they got for the Cadet & Junior level to provide new generation of players. Of course they have opened doors for Aruna Quadri to show his class to the world at the 2014 ITTF World Cup in Germany. The hosting of Lagos Open for the last three years in a row has made Nigeria a place to be for top players in Africa and the tournament has also become part of the GAC World Tour events. Since its inception, it has been successful and it has been worthwhile to promote the game in Nigeria and it has also put the country on world map,” the ATTF boss said.

    He added: “I am so happy for the big steps we have made as regards growth and popularity of table tennis in the last few years and not only worldwide but also in Africa. For example two years ago no one could believe that we could have live streaming on youtube of some TV channels for our African Cup or African Championships as we have now in 2015, while the number of members of ATTF this year has reached 51 affiliated National Associations. This for us is a plus and this was made possible with the singular efforts made by Nigeria and countries like Egypt and Congo Brazzaville.”

    For all these to be possible, El-Salhy admitted, “We are all working as a team in ATTF Executive Committee to enlarge the number of affiliated associations within ITTF/ATTF, and also to promote the participation and well organization of our activities to get more popular.”

  • ‘Nigeria crucial to rising table tennis profile’

    ‘Nigeria crucial to rising table tennis profile’

    With the stride and performance of its players at global level, Nigeria remains crucial to the rising profile of table tennis in the world and particularly in Africa.

    These were the views of the President, African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy, who told NationSport at the just concluded ITTF Africa Senior Cup in Cameroon that in the last three years, Nigeria has indeed helped to raise the profile of the sport in Africa with the staging of the Lagos Classics in 2013.

    He however, said that he was impressed with what Nigeria has attracted to Africa as the world table tennis governing body, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) now see the West African nation as a crucial to its programmes in the world.

    “Nigeria started to come back on the right track three years ago under the leadership of Wahid Oshodi, and I can see how much promotion they got for the Cadet & Junior level to provide new generation of players. Of course they have opened doors for Aruna Quadri to show his class to the world at the 2014 ITTF World Cup in Germany. The hosting of Lagos Open for the last three years in a row has made Nigeria a place to be for top players in Africa and the tournament has also become part of the GAC World Tour events. Since its inception, it has been successful and it has been worthwhile to promote the game in Nigeria and it has also put the country on world map,” the ATTF boss said.

    He added: “I am so happy for the big steps we have made regarding growth and popularity of table tennis in the last few years and not only worldwide but also in Africa. For example two years ago no one could believe that we could have live streaming on youtube some TV channels for our African Cup or African Championships as we have now in 2015, while the number of members of ATTF this year has reached 51 affiliated National Associations. This for us is a plus and this was made possible with the singular efforts made by Nigeria and countries like Egypt and Congo Brazzaville.”

    For all these to be possible, El-Salhy admitted, “We are all working as a team in ATTF Executive Committee to enlarge the number of affiliated associations within ITTF/ATTF, and also to promote the participation and well organization of our activities to get more popular.”