3 days ago
Sorling's security fear claims during ITTF AGM false: QTTA
Tribune News Network
Doha
The Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA) had dismissedITTF President Petra Sorling's claims that she felt unsafe during the IITF Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Doha on Tuesday. The entire AGM was broadcast live through Youtube channel.
In a clarification issued on Wednesday, QTTA stated:
'As the host of the 2025 ITTF Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA) takes seriously recent media reports suggesting that ITTF President Petra Sorling felt unsafe during the meeting and was escorted out under duress. These claims warrant factual clarification.
Throughout the AGM, all security, protocol, and support services functioned without interruption. Ms.
Sorling, like all delegates and officials, had access to comprehensive, round-the-clock VIP transportation, logistical coordination, and hotel-based support. At no point was her movement restricted or her personal security compromised.
Video footage confirms that Ms. Sorling left the stage voluntarily and walked unimpeded to her room within the same hotel complex where the AGM was taking place. There was no intervention, no confrontation, and no diplomatic escort out of the premises.
While we acknowledge that personal experiences and emotional perceptions can differ, we respectfully emphasize that a subjective sense of discomfort is not an indication of a security failure.
QTTA did not receive any complaints or requests for assistance from Ms. Sorling or the ITTF Executive during or after her departure.
Moreover, it is important to note that QTTA and its leadership, including Mr. Khalil Al-Mohannadi, have worked closely with Ms. Sörling for years. She has always received and benefited from QTTA's full cooperation, hospitality, and public support in multiple international contexts. That legacy of collaboration makes it especially regrettable that the current circumstances are being framed in a manner that implies hostility or neglect by the host federation.
QTTA stands by its record and the professionalism of its staff and volunteers, who ensured that every delegate was treated with respect, care and dignity .'
