GAC GROUP Title Sponsor for World Championships and World Team Cup

Based in Guangzhou and a major supporter of elite level sport, including top tier sponsorship at the 2010 Asian Games, the agreement was formalised at the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou on the evening of Tuesday 26th April 2011.

Adham Sharara, ITTF President and Zhen Qinghong, General Manager of the GAC GOUP signed the agreement witnessed by Zhang Fangyou, GAC GROUP Chairman, Gu Shiyang (Deputy General Secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Government), Gan Xin (Deputy Mayor of Guangzhou) and Yang Naijun (Deputy President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association).

Zhang Fangyou
"We are exceptionally happy to be sponsoring the 2011 World Table Tennis Championships and the 2013 World Team Cup, two important events”, said Zhang Fangyou. “We like and see the benefits of being involved with sport; in particular table tennis, as it plays a very important social role within international society."

ITTF President
Equally Adham Sharara was delighted with the agreement:

"The ITTF is extremely pleased that the GAC GROUP of Guangzhou has decided to become an ITTF partner and make its entry as the title sponsor of the 2011 World Table Tennis Championships in Rotterdam”, he said. “The new partnership solidifies even more the excellent ties and relationship that the ITTF has with Guangzhou."

Guangzhou hosted the Evergrande Real Estate World Team Championships in 2008 plus the Women’s World Cup in 2009 and in both 2010 and earlier this year whilst also being the home in 2010 for the Asian Games.

"The ITTF looks forward to a long and fruitful cooperation with the GAC GROUP”, added Adham Sharara. “We are sure that we will be able to provide an excellent return on investment with extensive television coverage and live streaming of the Championships."

Tournament Director
Similarly, Ton Van Happen, the Tournament Director for what is now the GAC GROUP 2011 World Table Tennis Championships was upbeat.

"First of all I want to congratulate the ITTF and GAC GROUP with their sponsorship", he said. “With this agreement we are in the position to bring the World Championships to a whole new level."

A whole new level and an endorsement of the significant global reach that table tennis offers. The agreement adds further to the major strides the ITTF Marketing Division and TMS International are making in continuing to ensure top level partnerships.

Most certainly a top level agreement has been signed.