by Ian Marshall
Born on Sunday 1st January 1956, he held the presidential position for some 30 years, assuming office in the early 1990s; his contribution to the sport of table tennis being greatly appreciated by Khaled El-Salhy, President of the African Table Tennis Federation.
“I have to say I lost today a friend who was worked with me in the African Table Tennis Federation for the past 20 years. He was trying to lift the sport of table tennis in Sudan, I remember he was so keen to host the 2016 ITTF-Africa Top 16 Cup together with the Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
He was proud to bring to Sudan such international and continental events for the first time in all sports for 50 years. The events had a very professional organisation with remarkable television production live. Some friends in ITTF were contacting me during the event asking if we were playing in Sudan.
Condolences to his small family and also the big family of Sudanese table tennis friends.” Khaled El-Salhy
Member of ITTF Board of Directors
Abdelrahman El-Sallawi was a Council Board member in the African Table Tennis Federation from August 2008 to June 2021.
Also, he was a member in ITTF Equipment Committee during the period 2017 to 2019, becoming an ITTF Board of Directors member in 2017.
The contribution made was highly respected by Dr. Alaa Meshref, member of the ITTF Executive Committee, who like Khaled El-Salhy appreciated the efforts made in 2016 to host the Africa Cup.
“I have a long standing friendship with Mr Abdelrahman. We met many on table tennis occasions in African, Arab and international events. He was a very kind man with a true sense of humour, a continuous smile on his face. Despite his kindness, he always stood strong for the rightful decision. He will be truly missed in all coming occasions.
He hosted the Africa Cup in 2016. I was there as the President of the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation. He was very happy to host the first event in any sport in the last 50 years in Sudan. It was very well organised.
I send my condolences to his family, Sudan, Arab and African table tennis communities. May his soul rest in peace.” Dr Alaa Meshref
Additionally, Abdelrahman El-Sallawi was on many occasions a member of the Arab Table Tennis Federation Executive Committee.
Notably, he was a member in Sudan Parliament in the early 1990s and a member in Sudan National Olympic Committee from during 2012 to the present day, being the Deputy President from 2017.
The International Table Tennis Federation extends sincere condolences.