In a sparsely attended venue on the outskirts of Doha, Qatar, table tennis athletes competed fiercely for the title of world champion last week. Concurrently, a significant political struggle unfolded as a wealthy Qatari businessman aimed for the presidency of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), highlighting Gulf nations' increasing influence in global sports.
While table tennis may be perceived as a casual pastime, it ranks among the world's most popular sports, particularly in East Asia. Interviews with current and former officials and players have revealed concerns regarding the rising power of Gulf states like Qatar, alongside a history of bribery and extravagant spending by Qatari officials in various sports.
On the opening day of the championships, a Swiss whistle-blower, Georg Silberschmidt, was detained after distributing flyers for a new players' union aimed at advocating for athletes' rights. Surrounded by over 20 security personnel, he and two union employees were interrogated for 24 hours, pressured to sign documents in Arabic, a language they do not understand. They were later released without charges and left Qatar, with Silberschmidt expressing reluctance to return.
The ITTF's presidential election is scheduled for Tuesday, with an integrity unit investigating potential monetary influence by Khalil Al-Mohannadi, the Qatari businessman seeking election. The integrity unit has not confirmed specific cases but emphasized its commitment to ensuring fair elections.
Al-Mohannadi, currently the federation's senior executive vice president, has faced allegations of vote-buying since his election as deputy president in 2005. Testimonies revealed instances of bribery, leading to the annulment of an election. Despite these controversies, he was re-elected as deputy president in 2014.
Although local interest in table tennis is limited, Qatar has hosted the world championships twice. Al-Mohannadi has been involved in promoting the sport for over 30 years, asserting Qatar's status as a hub for international table tennis.
Qatar has sought to enhance its global standing through sports, naturalizing athletes and hosting major events, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Allegations of bribery surrounding the World Cup bid have been denied by Qatari officials.
Despite claims of high ticket sales for the championships, many early matches saw empty stands, with attendance primarily from officials and players' entourages. The ITTF comprises 227 member associations, with each voting representative receiving a weeklong stay in Qatar, including covered flights and luxury accommodations.
Concerns regarding Al-Mohannadi's ownership of a sports company that imported table tennis equipment led to a suspension from his vice-presidential duties in 2021. However, an internal investigation cleared him of wrongdoing. Subsequent leadership changes at Swiss Table Tennis resulted in an apology for the earlier complaints against him.
Former officials who had conflicts with Al-Mohannadi have since departed from their positions. He also serves as a director of World Table Tennis, the federation's commercial arm, which operates through a complex network of companies across multiple continents.
Sources indicate that Al-Mohannadi often showed little interest in governance details, frequently absent from meetings, while current accommodations for federation delegates in Doha have been described as "spectacular."