MONROVIA — The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has officially reinstated Liberia as one of its active member nations, marking a significant turnaround for the country’s presence in the global table tennis community.
The announcement came during the 17th ITTF Elective Congress held in Doha, Qatar, in May 2025. Liberia, previously listed among 39 inactive member nations, successfully reclaimed its status among more than 200 countries striving to expand and promote table tennis worldwide.
During a phone interview on OK FM Sports on May 24, Gbassay Golee, president of the Liberia National Table Tennis Association (LNTTA) and a voting delegate at the Congress, credited Liberia’s return to consistent effort and strategic planning.
“This progress was achieved through consistent effort and strategic planning,” Golee told listeners.
Looking ahead, Golee said Liberia will focus on strengthening its international presence by building partnerships across Africa. He added that the LNTTA plans to host regional tournaments within the Mano River Union, which includes Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast.
“Our counterparts in Guinea and Sierra Leone have faced challenges with inactivity, so we will begin to work closely with West Africa Regional Vice President Ferdinand Sounou to host regular tournaments and training sessions in those countries,” Golee said.
Meanwhile, the ITTF Elective Congress, which was briefly suspended due to allegations of procedural irregularities, officially re-elected Petra Sörling as ITTF president during its Annual General Meeting in Doha on May 27, 2025. Sörling secured 104 votes, narrowly defeating Khalil Al-Mohannadi of Qatar, who received 102 votes.
Following her re-election, Sörling expressed gratitude to the table tennis community for their continued support.
“I am deeply grateful to the global table tennis family for the trust placed in me with this re-election. Now it’s time to look ahead—united and focused on the future,” she said.
Despite her re-election, ITTF officials announced that the Annual General Meeting must reconvene to conduct the election of vice presidents. The initial session was suspended due to disruptions caused by individuals who were neither delegates from member associations nor part of the Executive Board, Council, Committees, or officially invited guests.
“ITTF President Petra Sörling will announce the new date in due course. This resumption must take place no later than November 2025 to comply with the four-year term of office for the Executive Board, as stipulated in the ITTF Constitution (Article 1.87.1),” the ITTF said in a statement.
Liberia’s return to active status within the ITTF is expected to bolster its role in regional and international competitions while expanding access to training programs, technical support, and development opportunities.
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