Youth Table Tennis Championship 2011 to be held in Kazan 03.08.2010

A few days ago the Tatarstan officials returned from Istanbul where the 2010 EYC had completed. The Russian delegation presented Kazan and the city’s sports potential. Officers of the Russian and Tatarstan Table Tennis Federations were among the Russian delegates. The presentation saw the attendance of Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism of RT Sergey Ivanov, first Vice President of the Tatarstan Table Tennis Federation Gennady Argakov as well as Executive Director of the Russian Table Tennis Federation Roman Markov.

It was in 2008 that the preliminary decision on the hosting city of the European Championship was made. However the agreement that validates the Kazan tournament will be ratified in autumn during the European Championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic. That’s why the presentation of Kazan as an ideal host of the 2010 European Championship was made during the similar competitions. The Russians shared their experience of holding international tournaments telling about the recent European Universities Championship, Kazan’s sports infrastructure and the upcoming Championship’s venue – the Palace of Sports. Though to tell the truth due to a great number of athletes the small ice rink is likely to be melted as well.

The visit couldn’t go without political issues. The Republic of Kosovo the independence of which was not acknowledged by Russia is the member of the European Table Tennis Federation and due to this the athletes of Kosovo are entitled to enter the Kazan Championship. Russia has a different opinion in this regard. For sure this political issue is to be solved any time soon.

- Kazan is to gather about 800 tennis players and approximately 120-130 umpires, – Mr Gennady Argakov informed kazan2013.com. – There were hardly 100 athletes at the Kazan Universities Championship. As you understand we have a huge amount of work to be done next year.