USATT First and Second Elite Athlete Elections Certified – Nomination Period for Third and Fourth Athlete Positions Opens

USATT First and Second Elite Athlete Elections Certified – 

Nomination Period for Third and Fourth Athlete Positions Opens

Lily Zhang and Nikhil Kumar Selected to Serve on the USATT Board of Directors as First and Second Athletes, Respectively

 

(Colorado Springs, CO – December 31, 2021) – USA Table Tennis (“USATT”) today announced that the election of the organization’s First and Second Athletes has been officially certified by the independent election organization, YesElections. Lily Zhang has been elected as the First Athlete, and Nikhil Kumar has been chosen as the Second Athlete. In addition to serving a full term on the USATT Board of Directors, Ms. Zhang, as USATT’s First Athlete, will also serve as the USATT Representative on the USOPC’s Athlete Advisory Council. As USATT’s Second Athlete, Mr. Kumar will serve as USATT’s Alternate Representative on the USOPC’s AAC. Both Ms. Zhang and Mr. Kumar will also serve a term on the USATT Athlete Advisory Council.

USATT will now undertake to complete another Elite Athlete election that will determine the “Third Athlete” and “Fourth Athlete” positions. Eligible Elite Athletes are encouraged to submit a request to be placed on the ballot for the Third and Fourth Elite Athlete elections beginning today. The nomination deadline for this election is Friday, January 14, 2022, at 5:00 pm US Mountain Time. Interested candidates should send an email notification of their intent to run and a request to be vetted for inclusion on the ballot to admin@usatt.org.

To be eligible for this Elite Athlete election, an individual can either be a “10-Year Elite Athlete” or a “10-Year+ Elite Athlete”. A 10-Year Elite Athlete is defined by USATT Bylaws as an athlete who has competed in “Operation Gold Competition” Table Tennis Events (the Summer Olympics, the Summer Paralympics, World Championships, Para World Championships, Pan American Games, and Para Pan American Games) within the previous 10 years, i.e on or after January 1, 2012. A 10-Year+ Athlete must have participated in an “Operation Gold Competition” on or before December 31, 2011. 10-Year Elite Athletes who ran for, but did not win, the First or Second Athlete position, are eligible to run in this election.

In the upcoming election, the 10-Year Elite Athlete who garners the most votes will be determined to be the Third Athlete. However, it is important to note that, under the rules of USATT Elite Athlete elections, at least one of the First, Second or Third Athlete positions must be held by an eligible Able-Bodied Elite Athlete and at least one of those positions must held by an eligible Elite Para Athlete. Since the First and Second Athlete Positions have now been filled with Elite Able-Bodied Athletes, the Third Athlete Position will be awarded to the 10-Year Para Elite Athlete receiving the highest number of votes in this upcoming election, unless no Elite Para Athlete runs for the Third Athlete position in which case the Third Athlete Position will be awarded to the 10-Year Elite Able-Bodied Athlete receiving the highest number of votes.

The 10-Year+ Elite Athlete who receives the most votes will be determined to be the Fourth Athlete. If no 10-Year+ Athlete runs in this Elite Athlete election, the 10-Year Athlete who comes in second place will be determined to be the Fourth Athlete. 

The Third Athlete will serve a full term on the USATT Board of Directors, as well as serve a term on the USATT AAC. The Fourth Athlete will serve a full term on the USATT Board of Directors. 

Please note that only those persons who fall within the definition of the 10-Year Elite Athlete will be eligible to vote in this Elite Athlete election. Voting will begin on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, and run through Wednesday, February 23, 2022.

As with all Elite Athlete Elections, all candidates running in the upcoming election for the Third and Fourth Athlete positions must disclose in advance of the election any prior felony conviction(s) or any periods of ineligibility served in sport for any reason, including disciplinary decisions and/or SafeSport violations.

The responsibilities of Athlete Representatives may include but are not limited to the following:

• Be familiar with your NGB’s bylaws, the USOPC bylaws, the AAC bylaws the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sport Act, and various other polices affecting athletes’ rights

• Understand the athlete pool you represent and work to engage the athletes represented

• Proactively reach out to your constituents enabling athletes to freely comment on polices/procedures

• Consistently communicate with your NGB CEO/ED and other key stakeholders on matters impacting athletes

• Synthesize athletes’ feedback on policies and procedures and provide input to the relevant party

• Provide an avenue for athletes to voice their concerns

• Review, gather and provide athlete input, and sign off on selection procedures for selection of International, Olympic, Paralympic and Pan Am Games Teams

• Some travel may be required

Persons interested in determining whether you qualify to run and/or vote in these Athlete elections as either a 10-Year or 10-Year+ Athlete can request a determination by directly contacting USATT at admin@usatt.org.

 End.21 12-31a