ITTF Deputy President Khalil AL-MOHANNADI has announced his candidacy to become the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President, where elections will be held on 31 May 2017 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Mr AL-MOHANNADI from Qatar has an array of international experience, being the Qatar Table Tennis Association President since 1995 and serving as ITTF Deputy President from 2005-2006 and 2015-present, and as ITTF Executive Vice President between 2007 and 2014.

"I am proud that the Qatar Table Tennis Association has made huge progress during my years of office and has become one of the leading and most successful organizers of high level world table tennis events."

Under Mr AL-MOHANNADI's leadership, Qatar have organized the following international events:

• The Liebherr 2004 World Team Championships;
• Commencing in 1994, highly successful ITTF World Tour tournaments which continue to attract the very best players in the world. Almost US$ 4,000,000 has been distributed in prize money at ITTF World Tour Qatar Open;
• ITTF World Junior Circuit Qatar Open tournaments;
• The 2011 Peace and Sport set an example to the world and was universally acclaimed;
• The 2012 Olympic Games World Qualification tournament;
• Most recently the ITTF Star Award and Seamaster Qatar 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals.

If Mr AL-MOHANNADI is elected President, his proposals are:

• Ensuring major marketing improvement with title sponsors for all World title events; in particular the ITTF World Tour;
• Increasing the popularity of table tennis worldwide, gaining the recognition of all major television channels;
• Promoting ITTF Development Programmes in all aspects;
• Unifying the eligibility rule for all international events to be the same as the regulations required for the Olympic Games;
• Transparency in all ITTF financial transactions.

There are now two official candidates for the ITTF President position, with current ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT announcing in October that he will run for this highest position in table tennis.

The deadline for National Associations to submit nominations for Presidential candidates is 30 April 2017.