USATT Announces Results of First and Second Elite Athlete Board Positions Election And Opens Nomination Process for Third and Fourth Elite Athlete Reps Election

Ian Seidenfeld Wins Election for First Athlete Position – Tahl Leibovitz Wins Election for Second Athlete Position

(Colorado Springs, CO – November 11, 2024) – USA Table Tennis (“USATT”) today announced the results from the Elite Athlete election for the First and Second Athlete Representatives on the USATT Board of Directors and opened the nomination process for the upcoming election of the Third and Fourth Elite Athlete Representatives on the Board.

In the initial election conducted amongst USATT’s Elite Athletes, the voting for which concluded on Friday, Ian Seidenfeld was selected as the First Athlete Representative on the USATT Board. In that same election Tahl Leibovitz was chosen as the Second Athlete Representative. Seidenfeld and Leibovitz will begin their respective terms on the USATT Board on January 1, 2025, and those terms will conclude on December 31, 2028.

The nomination process for the second Elite Athlete election, which will serve to select the Third and Fourth Athletes on the USATT Board of Directors, opens today and will close next Monday, November 18, at 5:00 pm US Mountain Time. Eligible Elite Athletes interested in running for the Third or Fourth Athlete positions can submit their name to the following email address: Admin@USATT.org.

It is important to note that all candidates running in the elections for these Elite 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 election for the Third and Fourth Elite Athlete Representatives on the USATT Board will present a two-part ballot. First, Elite Athletes choose between the candidates running for the Third Athlete position. Persons running for this role must be 10 Year Elite Athletes. In addition, under the terms of USATT’s Bylaws, since both the First and Second Elite Athlete Representatives are Para Athletes, the Third Elite Athlete Representative position will be awarded to the Able-Bodied Athlete who receives the greatest number of votes in the election for the Third Athlete position.

On the same ballot, but in a separate question, the Elite Athletes choose between the candidates running for the Fourth Athlete position. Under the USATT Bylaws, a person must be a 10+ Year Elite Athlete to run for the Fourth Athlete role.

10 Year Elite Athletes are those athletes who have represented the United States 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, 2015. 10+ Year Elite Athletes are those athletes who represented the US In an Operation Gold Competition on or before December 31, 2024.

Only 10 Year Elite Athletes are eligible to vote in the Elite Athlete Elections – but, as noted, the Fourth Athlete position is reserved for a 10+ Year Athlete.

Persons who ran in the initial Elite Athlete election but did not win either the First or Second Athlete position are eligible to run in the follow-up election for the Third Athlete. Please also note that, if no 10+ Year Elite Athlete runs for the Fourth Athlete position, the Fourth Athlete Director position will be awarded to the Elite Athlete who receives the second most votes in the election for the Third Athlete position.

The responsibilities of Elite Athlete Representatives on the USATT Board of Directors 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
• Actively attend USOPC/ AAC meetings and relay information to the identified athlete pool
• Proactively reach out to your constituents enabling athletes to freely comment on policies/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 Elite Athlete elections as either a “10 Year” or “10+ Year” Elite Athlete can request a determination by contacting USATT at admin@usatt.org.

USATT would like to congratulate Ian and Tahl on being elected as the First and Second Athlete Representatives on the Board of Directors and thank everyone who participated in the first Elite Athlete Board Representative Election.

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