History – European table tennis union

ETTU History

Index

The First European Championship

The ETTU Charter and Early Years

The ETTU Constitution and Growth

Changes and Innovations (1990s)

The Birth of the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU)

The Seeds of ETTU: The Decision in Tokyo (1956)

Following the decision made in Tokyo in 1956 to hold the World Table Tennis Championships biennially, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) invited European associations to consider establishing a continental championship in the intervening years.

1956: The ITTF decided to hold the World Table Tennis Championships biennially after the Championships in Stockholm (1957). European Table Tennis Associations were invited to hold the European Championships (EC) in alternate years.

The Founding of ETTU: Stockholm 1957

Preliminary Discussions

February 17, 1957: Preliminary discussions took place during the French Open in Rouen regarding the EC.
March 9, 1957: A preliminary meeting at the WC in Stockholm resulted in a proposal for the establishment of the ETTU.
March 13, 1957: The ETTU was officially founded with representation from:

Austria (AUT)	Belgium (BEL)	Bulgaria (BUL)
Czechoslovakia (CSSR)	Finland (FIN)	France (FRA)
German Democratic Republic (GDR)	Federal Republic of Germany (FRG)	Hungary (HUN)
Luxembourg (LUX)	Netherlands (NED)	Portugal (POR)
Spain (ESP)	Sweden (SWE)	Soviet Union (USSR)
Wales (WAL)	Yugoslavia (YUG)

The First European Championships: Budapest 1958

Hungary offered to host the first European Championships, which took place in Budapest in 1958.
Jean Belot from France was elected as the first Chairman of the ETTU.
Dr. György Lakatos from Hungary became the first Honorary Secretary.

The ETTU Charter and Early Years

A charter for the Union was adopted by member associations in Dortmund, Germany, in 1959.
Jean Belot tragically passed away in 1959.
Josef VandreK from Czechoslovakia became the second President of the ETTU.
Jupp Schlaf from Germany became the Vice-President.
Nancy Evans from Wales served as the first “permanent” Honorary Secretary/Treasurer.
In 1960, the ETTU introduced a knock-out competition for European club teams.

The ETTU Constitution and Growth

2010: New Executive Board members were elected, and contributions of long-serving officials were acknowledged.
2011: Scandinavian Associations proposed new playing systems for the European Championships.
2012: Integration of Para Table Tennis was initiated during the Congress.
2013: Mr. Ronald Kramer was elected as President, and a new Executive Board was established.
2014: Congress approved the European Championships for players Under 21, with changes coming into effect by 2016.

Development and Competitions (1960s – 1980s)

The European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) was established, and European competitions like the European Club Championships and European League were introduced.

1960: Mr. Josef Vandurek (CSSR) was elected President, and a knock-out competition for European Club Teams was introduced.
- The first European club competition took place in 1961.
1962: The 3rd EC held in West Berlin saw the adoption of the ETTU Constitution.
1964: The 4th EC in Malmo initiated the European Youth Championships and proposals for a European League.
1967: The European League commenced.
1982: Dr. György Lakatos (HUN) was elected President, and significant events were held to celebrate the ETTU’s 25th Anniversary, where distinctions were awarded to notable members.

Changes and Innovations (1990s)

The ETTU expanded its membership and introduced new competitions like the European Nations Cup and European Masters Cup. Governance changes were implemented to accommodate the growing number of member associations.

1990: The Congress introduced a separate Women’s League and accepted Israel as a new ETTU Member.
1991: Two new title events were introduced: the European Nations Cup and the European Masters Cup.
1992: The ETTU’s membership grew to 43 associations, with significant governance changes made.
1994: The 19th EC took place in Birmingham, introducing measures to account for increasing participation.

Restructuring and Expansion (2000s)

The European League was merged with the European Championships, and the European Champions League was expanded. A Women’s Champions League was also introduced. The EURO-ASIA contest was launched.

2000: Key decisions were made to combine the European League with the European Championships.
2005: The Congress extended the European Champions League for Men from 8 to 16 teams and introduced a Women’s competition.
2009: The Congress celebrated the launch of the EURO-ASIA contest.

Recent Developments (2010s)

New leadership took over the ETTU, and efforts were made to modernize the organization. Changes were introduced to the European Championships, and Para Table Tennis was integrated into the ETTU’s activities.

2010: New Executive Board members were elected, and contributions of long-serving officials were acknowledged.
2011: Scandinavian Associations proposed new playing systems for the European Championships.
2012: Integration of Para Table Tennis was initiated during the Congress.
2013: Mr. Ronald Kramer was elected as President, and a new Executive Board was established.
2014: Congress approved the European Championships for players Under 21, with changes coming into effect by 2016.

ETTU History

Index

The Birth of the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU)

All Competitions

Senior Competitions

Club Competitions

Youth Competitions

More Competitions