Norbert Darabos: Return to table tennis top management?

Norbert Darabos: Return to table tennis top management?

Norbert Darabos, former defense minister and sports enthusiast, announced today that he will run for president of the Austrian Table Tennis Association (ÖTTV). In an interview with ORF Burgenland, the 60-year-old said that he was approached by representatives of the Salzburg regional association and player representatives. Darabos, who has been active in table tennis since his youth, emphasizes the need to lead the association out of the current crisis, which is characterized by allegations of psychological violence against the current management team, consisting of Wolfgang Gotschke and Stefan Fegerl. The association has already launched an investigation, the results of which should show serious deficiencies, such as ORF Burgenland reported.

With Darabos, former European table tennis champion Liu Jia also plans to take on a crucial role as sports director, which will create a new management axis. Darabos sees Liu as a “world-class athlete” who can improve contact with current top athletes. Liu is currently particularly active in promoting promising talents such as 15-year-old Elina Fuchs, who already attracted attention in the general class at the European Youth Championships. The ÖTTV general meeting, at which the presidential election will take place, is scheduled for March 30, although the participation of the current management team is still unclear.

Political ambitions for the EU elections