Overview:
This initiative follows the adoption of proposition A-07, submitted by the Uganda Table Tennis Association and approved by a two-thirds majority at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia.
Uganda has scored highly on and off the courts in Table Tennis at the ongoing 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A first-ever team medal (bronze) in the women’s doubles by impressive teenagers Judith Parvin Nangonzi and Jemimah Nakawala has been supplemented by the global elevation of Cyrus Mark Muwanga, the president of the Uganda Table Tennis Association (UTTA).
Muwanga is now part of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) president’s Advisory Commission.
President Petra Sörling announced the formation of a President’s Advisory Commission.
This commission will be chaired by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Nasser Al Saud, the president of the Saudi Table Tennis Federation.
The appointment of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Nasser Al Saud reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing commitment to the global development of table tennis.
Joining him in this first task is Muwanga, President of the Uganda Table Tennis Association, representing the Member Association that initiated the proposition.
“This is humbling to be appointed to the ITTF President’s Advisory Commission for the trust enshrined in me. It is a win-win situation for further growth of Table Tennis in Uganda, the East African region and Africa as a whole,” an excited Muwanga, who is in Saudi Arabia for the Games, commented.
This initiative follows the adoption of proposition A-07, submitted by the Uganda Table Tennis Association and approved by a two-thirds majority at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia.
The proposal highlighted the urgent need for a strategic and collaborative approach to financial growth within the sport, particularly by increasing development funding and elevating marketing efforts.
The President’s Advisory Commission will be tasked with other missions and will gather additional members from each continent to ensure a broad and inclusive representation.
The Advisory Commission’s first task will be to develop recommendations for the creation of the Marketing Committee, following the decision of the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM).
This marks the ITTF’s swift action to deliver on the mandate provided by its Member Associations.
Our members spoke clearly at the AGM, and the ITTF is delivering. This is governance in action, turning vision into results. I am grateful to Saudi Table Tennis Federation President Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Nasser Al Saud for accepting this key leadership role, and to Uganda Table Tennis Association President Mr Cyrus Muwanga for championing this important initiative. Their work will help ensure table tennis continues to grow, globally and sustainably.
Petra Sörling, ITTF President
I am honored to be appointed to lead the President’s Advisory Commission, and to propose a framework for the ITTF Marketing Committee at this defining moment for our sport. The global appetite for table tennis is growing, but its full potential remains untapped. What we need now is a bold, data-driven strategy, one that reimagines how our sport engages audiences, attracts partnerships, and strengthens its global identity. This task is built for that purpose, bringing together international minds united by a shared ambition to move table tennis forward through collaboration, innovation, and strategic focus. The trust placed in the Kingdom and in me personally will be met with clarity, commitment, and results.
HRH Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Nasser Al Saud, President of the Saudi Table Tennis Federation
The Marketing Committee is set to become a constitutionally recognised permanent committee of the ITTF from 1 January 2026.
The AGM also approved the creation of a Gender, Equality and Diversity (GEDI) Committee, reflecting the Federation’s continued commitment to inclusivity and modern governance.