Table Tennis: ‘Who said We’re Briefcase Association?’, UTTA Launches Office, Gives National Team New Playing Equipment

Last updated Mar 12, 2022

Uganda Table Tennis Association (UTTA) that is under the leadership of Robert Jjagwe has today officially revealed their location.

For a while, Table Tennis has been among the sports Associations that had no clear location of their home and were nicknamed ‘briefcase’ Association but on Saturday, Jjagwe and his team launched their new offices at Access Building along Lubaga road in Kampala.

UTTA president, Jjagwe Robert addressing media at the Association head office at Access Building

“Previously, there was a certain newspaper that reported that we don’t have office, that I move with it in my hands, but today we want to put this clear that we have our, not big like that of Netball but at least we have a location. ” Said Jjagwe before adding.” We acquired this office in September last year but since we had no secretary to sit here full time, that’s why sometimes was locked but now we officially launched it, we are going to get that person who is going to be here fulltime. “

Now the office of Uganda Table Tennis Association (UTTA) is at Access Building along Lubaga road, first floor suite number 509.

Meanwhile, at the same press conference, UTTA handed over Table Tennis equipment to national senior team tht is getting ready for Regional Senior Championships to be held in Ethiopia in May and Commonwealth Games set to be held in Birmingham England in July 2022.

The most important equipment the team received today is the brand new Donic Bluestorm Rubbers to which Jjagwe described as the best quality rubber Uganda has ever had since 1952 when Table Tennis paved it’s way to Uganda.

“This is the first time in history since 1952 when table tennis was Introduced in Uganda that our National team is going to to train with brand new rubbers and as well play with them at the upcoming competitions. ” Said Jjagwe, UTTA president.

The contingent that had 50 rubbers (normal play), 4 rubbers (long pimples), 4 rubbers (short pimples), 10 blades, 24 Donic three star balls, 24 Donic two star balls, 24 Donic one star balls and five sets of internationally accepted Water Glue, all fromDonic Headquarters in Germany has costed the Association 8.3 million shillings.

Jjagwe says, getting such equipment has solved the problem of playing equipments now they can concentrate on the players’ skills ahead of the championships.

Napookooi Phillip, national team player.

Napookoli Phillip Martin one of the National team players who received the rubbers says; it has been hard to favourably competition with players who use modern rubber when you train with second hand equipment, with that second hand rubber, you can’t strike the ball and you can feel it but with these new ones, and we’re going to have enough time training with them, it will help us compete.”

The team soon going to enter camp preparing for East Africa Table Tennis Championship to be held in Ethiopia between 5th and 8th May 2022 but team Uganda is expected to travel on 3rd the same month. This tournament going to act as Africa Cup qualifiers, whose finals will be held in Algeria in October and Birmingham Commonwealth Games preparations.