Hong Kong's Yue wants clarity on accusations against ITTF president
Hong Kong table tennis chief Tony Yue Kwok-leung has urged the sport's world governing body to provide more information after the European Table Tennis Union accused its president of a series of wrongdoings.
Hong Kong table tennis chief Tony Yue Kwok-leung has urged the sport's world governing body to provide more information after the European Table Tennis Union accused its president of a series of wrongdoings.
In a letter to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) board of directors this month, the European body, headed by their president Stefano Bosi from Italy, accused the world body's Canadian president Adham Sharara of abuse of power and misuse of ITTF funds.
The main allegations pertain to Sharara's involvement in a company that provides funding to the ITTF and his role in a not-for-profit sports organisation in Ottawa, Canada and an ITTF real-estate investment, also in Ottawa.
"Sharara has made an initial denial of the allegations, but we think there needs to be some further clarification from the president and the ITTF executive committee," said Yue, who is the chairman of the Hong Kong Table Tennis Association, honorary secretary general of the Asian Table Tennis Union and on the ITTF board of directors.
"Many people in the table tennis community do not clearly understand the operations of the ITTF, and they have the responsibility to make explanations for all these accusations."
The ITTF will have its presidential election during the world championships in Paris next month, and Yue did not rule out the possibility the accusations may be intended to influence the vote. Sharara, who has held the post for 14 years, and Bosi have indicated their interest in the job.
