2012 LIEBHERR World Team Championships Contract Signed

139 days before the start of the 2012 LIEBHERR World Team Championships in Dortmund (25 March - 1 April) ITTF, German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) and the venue managers of Westfalenhallen Dortmund signed the event contract in Dortmund. The ITTF visited Dortmund for a two-day inspection to check the progress of the preparations for the championships and to talk over the details as the event moves ever closer.

After 1959 and 1989 it is the third time that Dortmund hosts World Table Tennis Championships, the biggest indoor global sporting event in the world. In the eight days of the tournament, Germany will welcome around 3,500 accredited guests. Approximately 200 women's and men's teams from 150 national associations are expected to participate.

The draw will take place on 22nd February in the venue of Westfalenhalle. After the prospectus was published during the LIEBHERR World Team Cup in Magdeburg that finished yesterday, Argentina was the first country to enter the tournament.

Quotes from the press conference in Dortmund:

Sabine Loos (General Manager Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH):

It is a prickling excitement we're feeling already. We know well about the importance of the event. In Bremen 2006 more than half a billion people around the world followed this event through the media. Dortmund and Westfalenhallen will be on people's minds all over the world. Westfalenhallen Dortmund have so far hosted 30 World Championships in different sport. Personally for me, these will be the first World Table Tennis Championships, but I have heard many stories about 1989, when Jörg Roßkopf and Steffen Fetzner became World Doubles Champions in this venue. The excitement about this was unique.

We're happy that we managed to do a good rehearsal at the German Open in February. We will do all we can to make the 2012 LIEBHERR WTTC another success.

Thomas Weikert (DTTB President):

The Westfalenhalle Dortmund is a really cultic venue. The spectators here can help a team excel. So far we are really satisfied with the pre-sale compared with Bremen in 2006 and the 2009 LIEBHERR European Championships in Stuttgart. At the moment the sales figures of course focus on the final weekend.

On the first weekend we have a special offer for kids: On 25 March all children under 18 have free entrance to the matches and watch next to others the first group matches of the German teams. On 30 March we financially support big groups of people and clubs travelling to the event by busses they rent. We hope to make these 2012 LIEBHERR World Team Championships in Dortmund once again a success.

Judit Farago, ITTF CEO, Executive Director - Competitions:

Germany is very experienced in hosting big events. The assocation is good in advertising for international tournaments and each time attracts a lot of spectators. Next to that one can hope for the host that the German team has a similar success in 2012 as it had in 1989 at the same place.

We've just come over from the LIEBHERR World Team Cup in Magdeburg. Congratulations to the DTTB for succeeding the rehearsal for next year. A team of 5 ITTF members has come to Dortmund to mainly check the technical and logistical preparations. The inspection visit is among other things about the built-up and different settings at the venue, transportation and accommodation as well as TV concerns and a meeting with the main material/table sponsor Butterfly.

For more information, contact: hinz.dttb@tischtennis.de

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