DaveR
05-22-2008, 03:47 PM
http://www.sportfocus.com/newsimage/IITF---28-Kensington-Court3.jpg
With the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games creeping ever closer various organisational elements are beginning to unfold, plans are being drawn up and discussions are taking place to make sure that the games deliver and go beyond the high standards set by previous host cities.
During the ITTF Executive Board meeting which took place in London on 15th /16th May, Adam Sharara ITTF President, Jordi Serra ITTF Executive Director and other members of the ITTF Executive Board, along with Alex Murdoch ETTA/BTTF Chairman and Richard Yule ETTA Chief Executive met with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) who are responsible for the preparation and staging of the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic games to discuss the plans for table tennis.
This meeting included a visit to the ExCeL, the arena that will become the focus for the world of table tennis from Saturday 28th July– Tuesday 7th August 2012, as 172 athletes (86 men and 86 women) of the finest players in the world compete for 12 Olympic medals. The Paralympics will then follow from Friday 30th August- 7th September with 264 athletes (132 men and 132 women) competing for 72 medals.
Alex Murdoch said, “The ITTF Executive Board Meeting was the first in England for decades and with London 2012 not that far away establishing closer contacts by the ITTF with the Home Nation and LOCOG is an essential element for Table Tennis at the London Games. Fruitful and positive discussions over a wide agenda took place during the weekend and it is quite clear that the ITTF are very supportive of the progress being made by the ETTA. The ITTF President intends to return to England before the end of this year to discuss and follow up on a number of matters and issues discussed whilst at the same time meet with officials from our partners“
In addition to the meetings, the ITTF President and Executive Director were treated to a visit to one of the most historically significant buildings in table tennis, 28 Kensington Court, London. This building was the first address of Ivor Montagu, one of the most influential characters in table tennis history, and the man who was instrumental in the creation of the English Table Tennis Association and the International Table Tennis Federation.
The Montagu history
Montagu was one of the ten men who met in Germany in January 1926 and set in motion a series of events that made table tennis an international sport. In 1926 Montagu initiated the creation of the International Table Tennis Federation and served as its first President for 41 years until 1967. The ITTF began with four member countries and grew to 160 national associations during his leadership.
The constitution and laws of the sport of table tennis were adopted and the World Table Tennis Championships established during a meeting at the family home of Lord and Lady Swaythling, Montagu's parents (28 Kensington Court).
At age 18, he was the founder of the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA), and served as its Chairman from 1923-1929, 1932-1933, and again from 1936 -1958. Montagu was also ETTA President from 1927-1931 and 1958-1966.
The trophy presented to the men's champions at the World Team Championship bears the name Swaythling Cup as a tribute to Montagu's mother, Lady Gladys Goldsmid Montagu Swaythling. Montagu became the first non-player to be elected to the ITTF Hall of Fame.
Montagu fond memories
Montagu wrote affectionately about 28 Kensington Court. Here are some words from a handwritten script held within the ITTF archives:
2/9/1976
This corner house, then the residence of Lord & Lady Swaythling (the latter the donor of the Swaythling Cup) was originally one third of a house forming the whole block, the residence of Baron Grant, a late Victorian (or early Edwardian) businessman of whom Punch [Editor's note: an early English humour magazine] wrote "But knows without honour would be a barren grant."
The room in which the first ITTF Congress met was my father's & mother's study & father's library – we called it the library. The windows are the corner ones on the 1st floor & the first window to the right (where my mother's desk was positioned). The drawing room is below. Her boudoir is to the right. The day nursery – on corner above (2nd floor) – the night nursery to its right & what was eventually my room, the second window left of the corner on 2nd floor.
Ivor Montagu
http://www.sportfocus.com/images/dynabiz/ID3153/imggallery/7469.jpg
ETTA Article
With the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games creeping ever closer various organisational elements are beginning to unfold, plans are being drawn up and discussions are taking place to make sure that the games deliver and go beyond the high standards set by previous host cities.
During the ITTF Executive Board meeting which took place in London on 15th /16th May, Adam Sharara ITTF President, Jordi Serra ITTF Executive Director and other members of the ITTF Executive Board, along with Alex Murdoch ETTA/BTTF Chairman and Richard Yule ETTA Chief Executive met with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) who are responsible for the preparation and staging of the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic games to discuss the plans for table tennis.
This meeting included a visit to the ExCeL, the arena that will become the focus for the world of table tennis from Saturday 28th July– Tuesday 7th August 2012, as 172 athletes (86 men and 86 women) of the finest players in the world compete for 12 Olympic medals. The Paralympics will then follow from Friday 30th August- 7th September with 264 athletes (132 men and 132 women) competing for 72 medals.
Alex Murdoch said, “The ITTF Executive Board Meeting was the first in England for decades and with London 2012 not that far away establishing closer contacts by the ITTF with the Home Nation and LOCOG is an essential element for Table Tennis at the London Games. Fruitful and positive discussions over a wide agenda took place during the weekend and it is quite clear that the ITTF are very supportive of the progress being made by the ETTA. The ITTF President intends to return to England before the end of this year to discuss and follow up on a number of matters and issues discussed whilst at the same time meet with officials from our partners“
In addition to the meetings, the ITTF President and Executive Director were treated to a visit to one of the most historically significant buildings in table tennis, 28 Kensington Court, London. This building was the first address of Ivor Montagu, one of the most influential characters in table tennis history, and the man who was instrumental in the creation of the English Table Tennis Association and the International Table Tennis Federation.
The Montagu history
Montagu was one of the ten men who met in Germany in January 1926 and set in motion a series of events that made table tennis an international sport. In 1926 Montagu initiated the creation of the International Table Tennis Federation and served as its first President for 41 years until 1967. The ITTF began with four member countries and grew to 160 national associations during his leadership.
The constitution and laws of the sport of table tennis were adopted and the World Table Tennis Championships established during a meeting at the family home of Lord and Lady Swaythling, Montagu's parents (28 Kensington Court).
At age 18, he was the founder of the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA), and served as its Chairman from 1923-1929, 1932-1933, and again from 1936 -1958. Montagu was also ETTA President from 1927-1931 and 1958-1966.
The trophy presented to the men's champions at the World Team Championship bears the name Swaythling Cup as a tribute to Montagu's mother, Lady Gladys Goldsmid Montagu Swaythling. Montagu became the first non-player to be elected to the ITTF Hall of Fame.
Montagu fond memories
Montagu wrote affectionately about 28 Kensington Court. Here are some words from a handwritten script held within the ITTF archives:
2/9/1976
This corner house, then the residence of Lord & Lady Swaythling (the latter the donor of the Swaythling Cup) was originally one third of a house forming the whole block, the residence of Baron Grant, a late Victorian (or early Edwardian) businessman of whom Punch [Editor's note: an early English humour magazine] wrote "But knows without honour would be a barren grant."
The room in which the first ITTF Congress met was my father's & mother's study & father's library – we called it the library. The windows are the corner ones on the 1st floor & the first window to the right (where my mother's desk was positioned). The drawing room is below. Her boudoir is to the right. The day nursery – on corner above (2nd floor) – the night nursery to its right & what was eventually my room, the second window left of the corner on 2nd floor.
Ivor Montagu
http://www.sportfocus.com/images/dynabiz/ID3153/imggallery/7469.jpg
ETTA Article