The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) governing body has announced a pair of major administrative personnel changes as the body transitions to a new executive board following its 2025 annual general meeting (AGM).
ITTF Group chief executive Steve Dainton will now transition to the World Table Tennis (WTT) commercial organization, where he will become chief executive from January 1, 2026 onwards.
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Dainton, ITTF chief executive since 2017, was instrumental in the creation of the WTT business, and will now focus on the commercial development of the sport as a whole through the WTT.
Speaking on his new role, Dainton said: “The commercial and business development aspect of our sport has always been where my passion lies, so transitioning into the role of full-time WTT CEO is a natural progression of that journey, and a very personal one.
“World Table Tennis is the vehicle through which we can truly rethink how our sport is seen, experienced and valued. To be able to devote myself fully to that vision – to shaping what WTT can become in the next five to ten years – is both a responsibility and a privilege that I take very seriously.”
Meanwhile, Raul Calin, ITTF secretary general, will step back from that role from the end of November in order to take up the same role at the World Archery governing body.
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By GlobalDataCalin was also appointed secretary general at the ITTF in 2017, having first joined the body as competition manager in 2004, and has overseen the addition of two new events to the sport’s Olympic program.
The ITTF says that a hiring search to replace both executives is already underway, while the body’s current leadership team will step in in the interim in order to ensure day-to-day activities remain fulfilled.
Petra Sörling of Sweden, the reigning ITTF president, added of the pair’s departures: “Steve and Raul have made their mark in ITTF modern history, and their time at the helm of the organization will be remembered as a pivotal, successful period. I am deeply grateful for their service, and I wish them the very best in their future endeavors.”
“In 2026, the ITTF will celebrate its centenary, and the path ahead is ambitious. This is our opportunity to modernize our federation, to reform where needed, and to future-proof our sport for the next generation. The newly elected Board will be involved in this process. We will build and empower the next leadership team that will keep table tennis ahead.”
Sörling was re-elected to the post of president for a second four-year term back in May after a controversial election at the body’s AGM, which was subsequently suspended after “it was disrupted by outsiders” according to the executive board.
Following the completion of the AGM, which concluded on November 15, the full executive board was elected.
That board is composed of Anthony Moore (Australia), Liu Guoliang (China), Paul Calle (Ecuador), Zeina Rashid (Jordan), Wahid Oshodi (Nigeria), Beatrice Romanescu (Romania), Veli Ozan Cakir (Turkey), and Virginia Sung (USA).
