After #AskSteve we have #AskThomas! Following on from last month’s special Q&A session with ITTF CEO Steve Dainton, it was the turn of ITTF President Thomas Weikert go on air for an insightful chat with Adam Bobrow.
Calling from his home in Germany, Thomas shared his views across a range of topics that concern the world of table tennis, the sport that has been his lifelong passion and at the forefront of his professional career to date.
This interview is also an opportunity to get to know Thomas the man, such as his childhood decision to eventually play table tennis instead of football, Germany’s most popular sport, and how he grew his professional career in the governance of table tennis to eventually become ITTF President.
Then of course there are the burning topics that everyone is eager to know more about:
- The latest situation regarding international tennis events amidst the COVID-19 crisis;
- How the Table Tennis Family is standing in solidarity and working hard as a team to overcome the present challenges;
- How the #TableTennisUnited campaign is raising money to support athletes, coaches, umpires and national associations who are in need of help;
- The ITTF’s zero-tolerance policy towards racism and all forms of discrimination;
- The ITTF’s significant progress in terms of good governance, as confirmed by Tuesday’s ASOIF report;
- The plans and aspirations for the future of the sport so that table tennis can compete with the biggest and best sports properties in the world, not least through the creation of World Table Tennis (WTT);
- …and more!
Ending on a lighter note, Thomas reveals the players he simply loves to watch and why they never fail to get him off the edge of his seat, and a look at who could be the table tennis stars of the future.
This is an interview that covers all the bases, full of exclusive insight into the comings and goings at the ITTF and the sport at large.