The International Table Tennis Federation President Petra Sörling and Secretary General Raul Calin capped a visit to the United States with a preview of the 2028 Olympic Venue.

Sörling met with Gene Sykes, Chair of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, as part of a larger tour of the United States, where President Sörling spoke at a gala for the 51st anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy.

“Meeting with USOPC and LA 2028 officials even six years before the event is just another way for the ITTF to broaden its partnership with the organising committee,” Sörling said. “Proactive collaboration leads to great results, and every athlete knows the key to results is meticulous preparation. I cannot wait to see the Games in Los Angeles, knowing the full plans we discussed.”

Sörling also visited the 2022 U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships in Ontario, California. There, champions were crowned in events ranging from open events all the way down to youth and para table tennis events.

Before, Sörling spoke at a gala honoring the anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy, when relations between the U.S. and China thawed because of a chance meeting during the 1971 Table Tennis World Championships. Honoring the original group of U.S. and Chinese athletes that made trips to their respective countries just shows how far the original mission has gone, and how the ITTF continues to drive the spirit of Ping Pong Diplomacy forward today.

Last year, the World Table Tennis Championships Finals was held in the United States for the first time. As we look forward into the pivotal year of 2023 ahead of the next Olympic and Paralympic Games and through the expansion of World Table Tennis, the United States remains a key market in the global growth of the sport.