*Tournament to begin today at Teslim Balogun Stadium
Crowd pleaser and top continental table tennis star, Aruna Quadri will play no part in the World Table Tennis Contender (WTT) which will serve off from today in Lagos at the Molade Okoya Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.
The Nigerian star player was primed to play in the tournament but is still recovering from an arm injury he sustained from his last circuit in Far East late last month.
At a World press conference held yesterday to herald the tournament, the Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation and former Commissioner of Sports in Lagos State, Wahid Enitan Oshodi, said that the player pulled out at the last minute in a bid to fully recover and be part of the Olympic Games next month in Paris.
"We know everyone wants to see Aruna in action here because he has been a role model to up-and-coming star players in the country, unfortunately, he needs to recover fully from an arm injury and be fit to play at the Olympics where he has a lot at stake as he begins to wind down of his illustrious career in the game.
"We saw how he missed out on a podium appearance in 2016 after making it to the quarter-finals, the first time by an African but had the then number one player to contend with and he lost out.
The last edition in Tokyo was not a good one and today at 33, he needs to put everything into the game but makes sacrifices at playing the WTT Contender in Lagos," Oshodi explains.
In his remarks, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, said that Governor Sanwo Olu is delighted to welcome all participants to the state and wishes both Nigerians and foreign players all the best in the tournament.
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"We are very glad to welcome our Table Tennis Players to another milestone in the history of the state in promoting sporting excellence, where the World Table Tennis Contender will be unfolding for the next five days.
"As a state, we are ever ready for this kind of showpiece as our homegrown and budding players like Muizz Adegoke and Abdulbasit Abdulfatai are already warming up for world events taking place right here in Lagos.
"Our indefatigable Gov.Sanwo-Olu has been demonstrating unwavering support in sporting infrastructure, and as a state, we are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to the development of sports, encouragement and other activities that will give room for athletes to be exposed to international championships
"Our visiting players will also enjoy the hospitality nature of the state in terms of accommodation, transportation and our attractive tourist centres," he stated.
The tournament will serve as the last preparatory event for players to earn more points in rating and put them in a good position in the draws for the Paris tournament.
