New era for African table tennis
With the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Cup 2025 fast approaching, ITTF Africa President, Wahid Enitan Oshodi, has begun his term of office with a firm commitment to modernise competitions, promote youth development and make the sport more attractive to players, clubs and fans.
Oshodi is determined to implement a profound transformation that will raise the standard of the sport across the continent and sees the Africa Cup of Nations as his first major challenge.
The association aims to provide more opportunities for young talent through structured and accessible training programmes.
A Level 3 coaching certification course, the highest in the sport, will be held ahead of the tournament. “It is vital that we have well-prepared coaches to develop our players,” said Oshodi but the changes will go beyond the sporting aspect.
With a prize fund of $25,000, the tournament will introduce a “gold badge referee” to mentor young referees and raise the standard of officiating.
Oshodi is also focused on increasing the media impact of the event.
He said the ATTF has secured a partnership with Ethiopian Airlines as its official travel partner. “We hope that this arrangement will benefit both the Africa Cup and the African Youth Championship in Lagos,” said the African leader.
The confederation is also looking to revive the African Club Championship, which has seen a decline in participation in recent years.
Among the planned reforms is the introduction of a ranking system to raise the prestige of the competition and encourage clubs to make long-term investments.
Through these initiatives, Oshodi aims to establish African table tennis as a more prominent force on the international stage. –Insidethegames.biz
