The International Table Tennis Federation's (ITTF) Executive Committee is scheduled to meet on July 10 to establish a new timeline for the Busan World Team Table Tennis Championships, following delays caused by the pandemic.
International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Executive Committee will meet on July 10 to decide on a new date for Busan World Team Table Tennis Championships to commence that was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a June 4 discussion involving sponsors and local organizers, the ITTF Executive Committee concluded that staging the event amidst the current pandemic was not viable. As a result, they agreed to reschedule the tournament for early 2021, recognizing that travel barriers would make it nearly impossible for the majority of international teams to travel to South Korea. The committee is optimistic that they will finalize the exact start date at their next meeting on July 10.
Originally slated for a March 22 start in South Korea, the Busan World Team Table Tennis Championships have already been delayed twice due to the global spread of COVID-19. While they work on the rescheduling, the ITTF is also evaluating whether other table tennis competitions can be fit into the 2020 schedule, should the Busan event prove impossible to host this year.
According to a recent update from the ITTF, the organization is considering the United States as a potential host for the 2021 World Singles Championships. However, since the final dates for the Busan event are still pending, the original June 2021 window for the Singles Championships is no longer feasible. Additionally, the ITTF recently announced the cancellation of the Bulgaria Open, which was planned for September in Panagyurishte, due to strict local regulations regarding international gatherings.
Beyond scheduling, the ITTF has officially approved changes to the qualification process for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, though the final details await confirmation from the IOC and IPC. Furthermore, the Executive Committee has partnered with World Table Tennis (WTT) to provide financial assistance to players, member associations, and foundation projects that have suffered economic losses due to the pandemic.
The ITTF will hold its Annual General Assembly on September 28 via an online conference.