ITTF Press Release, Nov 19, 2011: The Executive Committee of the International Table Tennis Federation granted official approval of the doubles pairs that will contest the Peace and Sport Table Tennis Cup in their meeting today at the Gulf Hotel, Bahrain. Set for the 21-22 November, Doha, Qatar, the Peace and Sport Table Tennis Cup is a ground-breaking event that will unite nations through the power of sport (ITTF Officially Confirm).
Official pairings are as follows:
Men’s Doubles
Seeding Pairs and Ranking Points
1st seed: RYU Seung Min (KOR) + KIM Hyok Bong (PRK) 2420+1923 = 4343
2nd seed: MATTENET Adrian (FRA) + YOSHIDA Kaii (JPN) 2186+2146 = 4332
3rd seed: CHEN Qi (CHN) + AL-MOHANNADI Ahmed (QAT) 2476+1391 = 3867
4th seed: FAN Yiyong (USA) + VLASOV Grigory (RUS) 1481+1833 = 3314
5th seed: ROY Soumyadeep (IND) + AWAIS HASSAN Syed (PAK) 1575+1200 = 2775
Women’s Doubles
Seeding Pairs and Ranking Points
1st seed: KIM Kyong Ah (KOR) + KIM Hye Song (PRK) 2579+2028 = 4607
2nd seed: ZHANG Lily (USA) + TIKHOMIROVA Anna (RUS) 1959+2205 = 4164
3rd seed: GRUNDISCH Carole (FRA) + MIYAKE Natsumi (JPN) 2091+1805 = 3896
4th seed: CAO Zhen (CHN) + MOHAMED Aia Magdy (QAT) 2359+ 805 = 3164
5th seed: GHATAK Poulomi (IND) + FLAK SHER Sadia (PAK) 1759+ 750 = 2509
Event Schedule
21.11.11 GMT in brackets
17:00 (14:00) Draw Ritz-Carlton Hotel
18:00 (15:00) Press Conference (follows the Draw) Ritz-Carlton Hotel
22.11.11
17:00 (14:00) Opening of the Session Venue – ASPIRE Sports Academy
17:15 (14:15) Men’s /Women’s Doubles – Round 1 Venue – ASPIRE Sports Academy 2
18:00 (15:00) Women’s Doubles – Semi-Finals Venue – ASPIRE Sports Academy 2
18:30 (15:30) Men’s Doubles – Semi-Finals Venue – ASPIRE Sports Academy 2
19:00 (16:00) Women’s Doubles – Final Venue – ASPIRE Sports Academy 1
Adham Sharara, ITTF President said:
“This event may mark a new era for Ping Pong diplomacy, or in today’s lingo ‘Ping Pong Diplomacy version 2.0’. It has always been my dream that our sport is used in peace initiatives bringing together representatives from different countries and have them play ‘together’ side by side in an atmosphere of peace and understanding.
“I am very happy that all the participating countries have put peace and sport ahead of any political differences. This is the right way forward and we are witnessing history and a new era for sport as a means for promoting peace.”
Understanding and harmony is the underlining principle of an event that will combine world class action will superb entertainment and not only superb entertainment in the playing arena. Australia’s Paulini will sing at the Opening Ceremony and at the tournament itself. She will perform her latest Ping Pong song. Also supporting the tournament are Korean Air.
Korean Air’s Chairman and CEO Yang Ho Cho said:
“The first Peace and Sport Table Tennis Cup is set to be an historic occasion for the sport and also for sending out peace messages through sport. I believe we can promote friendly relations and dialogue between players, spectators and their nations. Sport is a neutral territory that crosses all barriers and hostilities.”
Joel Bouzou, President of Peace and Sport said:
“The first Peace and Sport Table Tennis Cup is set to be a historic moment! It will foster dialogue between countries and promote mutual understanding and peace in an unprecedented way for a sports event. By pairing together, the athletes will provide an example of amicable teamwork to diplomats and government representatives from the 10 participating nations who are invited to watch the tournament.
The neutral status of sport provides an ideal environment for people to meet and discuss with no fixed agenda. That’s the power of sport! As a former athlete myself, it’s a great pride and an immense honour to have succeeded in bringing together countries which would not easily communicate in other contexts.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.