(by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor)
A hard fought election campaign, at the Annual General Meeting of the International Table Tennis Federation on Wednesday 31st May, the vote to assume the office of President went in favour of Thomas Weikert.
Just as at 1993 World Championships in Gothenburg, when beaten in the final of the Men’s Singles event by Frenchman, Jean-Philippe Gatien, it was runners up spot for Belgium’s Jean-Michel Saive.
However, whether sportsman, politician or official; in adversity it is a case of dust yourself down and start again. You must be resilient.
Jean-Michel Saive duly returned to Belgium and two days later, on Friday 2nd June, it was better news for the 47 year old who competed in seven consecutive Olympic Games.
He was re-elected to the Belgium National Olympic Committee for the second time; the measure of respect in which he is held being shown in the fact that he received the highest number of votes of all candidates.
Always the fighter in the playing arena; that quality is now being demonstrated in another sphere.
In addition to his position on the Belgian National Olympic Committee, he is Chair of the Belgian Athletes Commission as well as being a member of the European Olympic Games Executive Committee, the organisation in which he is Chair of the Athletes Commission
Furthermore, within the Belgian Ministry of Education, he fulfils the role of expert.
A busy man; reflecting on the way he played, always one hundred per cent commitment, he would have life no other way.
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