These are awkward times indeed at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Ask embattled ITTF President Thomas Weikert. This week, two top-ranking members of the ITTF executive committee, Deputy President Khalil Al-Mohannadi and Executive Vice-President of Finance Petra Sörling, sharpened their poison pens and scripted a divisive missive attacking Weikert. The letter was sent to representatives of the ITTF's member nations, painting Weikert as an unfit leader and arguing for "a new direction for the ITTF membership under the leadership of a new President." Weikert first became President in 2014. Then serving as Deputy President, he assumed leadership when President Adham Sharara abdicated. The ITTF held its next scheduled presidential election in 2017. In his first actual campaign for the top office, Weikert overcame Khalil Al-Mohannadi, his current Deputy President, and popular Belgian player Jean-Michel Saive to win a four-year term. In his campaign, Weikert announced his intention to serve only one term. He has, however, recently changed his tune. Al-Mohannadi and Sörling accuse Weikert of pulling a bait-and-switch on the ITTF electorate. Weikert, however, dismissed the notion that there was anything unethical about deciding to seek another turn. "The complainants themselves have never criticized my decision, although I have told them already in October 2019 during an ITTF Executive Committee meeting, to run for office again." Although the letter painted Weikert as placing his own interests above those of the Federation, he says his decision to run again actually reflects the will of his constituents. "After having succeeded... in strengthening the ITTF in many areas during the first years of my term of office, I was keen to stabilize this upward trend," said Weikert. "Furthermore, some member associations encouraged me to continue. That is why I changed my mind, which I consider is legitimate in a transparent system." Weikert also took issue with the "sweeping and unspecified" charges leveled against him by Al-Mohannadi and Sörling. "The complainants are members of the Executive Committee, the highest governing body of the ITTF," he said. "They have made discrediting allegations without ever having made any relevant complaints in the six meetings and video conferences that have taken place during the past six months. The respective minutes are all approved." Weikert's takes issue with the way his top executives chose to air their grievances. "As far as I know they have made their letter public without informing the other Board members," he says. "They did not give me the opportunity to comment on it before," he continued. "Neither of them had ever contacted me before to discuss possible problems they may have with me or my management style." While Weikert did not appreciate the mutiny of two of his most trusted aides, he does embrace a fair challenge to his leadership. "It is also common and legitimate in a democratic system that other candidates also want to lead the ITTF and run for office," he allowed. Neither Al-Mohannadi nor Sörling has announced candidacy for the top seat. Yet.

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