Tanger Hosts the General Assembly of the African Table Tennis Confederation

Tanger Hosts the African Table Tennis Confederation General Assembly During African Championships

The city of Tanger recently hosted the General Assembly of the African Table Tennis Confederation, coinciding with the African Championships taking place in the city. This significant gathering brought together over 70 members, including prominent figures from the international sports community, such as Petra Sörling, the president of the International Table Tennis Federation, and Nawal El Moutawakel, the vice president of the International Olympic Committee.

This assembly served as an important platform to assess the state of table tennis across the African continent, addressing the challenges related to its development, as well as several organizational proposals and amendments to the statutes. Participants also discussed the work program and planned African competitions for 2027.

Anas El Ziati, president of the Royal Moroccan Table Tennis Federation, emphasized that hosting this meeting in Morocco reflects the growing prominence of Moroccan table tennis. He highlighted the critical role of international and African sports leaders in discussions regarding the future of the sport.

The discussions were conducted in a climate of transparency and democracy, allowing for exchanges on various organizational issues. The Royal Moroccan Federation specifically presented proposals aimed at improving the functioning of the African Confederation and revising certain provisions of its statutes.

Nawal El Moutawakel underscored the need to enhance the participation of youth and women in sports, combat harassment in the sporting environment, improve funding mechanisms, and facilitate access to infrastructure. She asserted that the development of table tennis requires a continuous modernization of management methods to restore this discipline to the place it deserves.

She also praised the dynamic momentum currently being experienced by the Royal Moroccan Table Tennis Federation, highlighting the efforts of a young and energetic team dedicated to advancing the sport.

Petra Sörling expressed pride in the progress made by table tennis in Africa, noting the emergence of young talents and the improvement in the level of competition during continental tournaments. She commended the organizational quality and hospitality extended to participants in Morocco, stating that this meeting illustrates the commitment of all stakeholders to continue their joint efforts in promoting the sport.

Discussions also addressed the challenges faced by national federations, ways to enhance sports governance, and prospects for expanding participation. Participants emphasized the importance of translating proposed ideas into concrete actions in the upcoming phases.

Additionally, the meeting provided an opportunity to review the past year’s activities, the work program for 2026, as well as the planned directions for 2027 and future African competitions. The goal is to strengthen coordination among national federations and promote the development of table tennis on a continental scale.

The organization of this general assembly in Tanger, alongside the African Table Tennis Championships, illustrates the dynamism of this discipline in Morocco and bolsters the Kingdom’s presence in continental and international discussions regarding its future.

Through these meetings, African table tennis aims to broaden its base of practitioners, support young talents, improve training and competition conditions, and enhance cooperation among national federations in order to elevate the level of the sport in upcoming competitions.