NAN-S-16
ITTF
Lagos, Jan.18, 2017 (NAN) Disneyland Paris in France will host the 2018 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Men’s World Cup, the table tennis world governing body announced on Wednesday.
According to Insidethegames, an online portal, the event will hold from Oct. 19 to Oct. 21 next year.
It said the ITTF World Cups are the second most prestigious events on ITTF calendar, with only 20 players qualifying for the men’s and women’s tournaments through their respective Continental Cups.
According to the portal, Christian Palierne, the French Table Tennis Federation (FFTT) President, says the country plans to host the international events on an annual basis.
“We obtained the organisation of European Top 16 in February 2017, the Veteran World Championships in 2020 in Bordeaux and have submitted an application to host the European Team Championships in 2019.
“The decision of the ITTF to choose the French candidacy lies in the fact that Disneyland is a mythical place, a place that attracts visitors.
“It is a tremendous opportunity for exposure and visibility for our discipline to partner with Disneyland Paris,’’ the statement quoted Palierne as saying.
It said the 2016 Men’s World Cup which was held in Saarbrücken, Germany ended in an all-Chinese final between Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin.
Disney is one of the world’s most famous companies and is the world’s largest media firm.
Characters such as Mickey Mouse are known all over the world with Disney films and products a part of millions of lives. (NAN)
KOA/ENN/PDE
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Peter Ejiofor)