International table tennis judges seminar concludes

The international table tennis judges seminar, a build-up event held as part of Kazan's preparations for the 27th Summer Universiade, came to an end on 24 March. The first part of the seminar took place at the Boxing and Table Tennis Centre in Kazan, with the second part being staged in the Sabinsky Municipal District of Tatarstan where future judges of the World University Games were given the opportunity to put recently acquired skills and knowledge into practice at the All-Russian Table Tennis Tournament.

The 12th edition of the traditional table tennis tournament took place at a multifunctional sports complex in the Village of Leskhoz. The tournament had three age groups: boys and girls from rural districts of the Republic of Tatarstan (under 18 years old), young people (under 21) and best of the best tournament for adult athletes. The competition brought together competitors from 26 municipal districts of the Republic of Tatarstan, 17 cities of Russia and even international athletes from Poland and China. 

76 officials, including judges from cities, towns and municipal districts of the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as a number of Russian regions, received training during the seminar. Upon completion of the practical part of the seminar, the participants received certificates enabling them to apply for a higher judging category and get the status of an ITTF official in accordance with the Directives for Match Officials at World Title Competitions and ITTF Sanctioned Events.

The best of them will be included in the team of judges for the 27th Summer Universiade. Tatarstan's Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism and Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation Igor Levitin, who is also Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Russian Table Tennis Federation, handed certificates to the judges who completed the course. 

It is worth noting that a series of judges seminars for the sports included in the Kazan 2013 SU competition programme started on 18 January with the training module for badminton judges. The seminars are held at the sport venues of the forthcoming World University Games and ensure high quality training for the Games judges to provide the most unbiased and accurate refereeing of all sporting events. More than 2,000 judges and referees will be engaged in the Summer Universiade, with most of them – about 1,500 people – as national judges.