Guyana Table Tennis Association in collaboration with and under the auspices of the International Table Tennis Federation as part of developmental agenda will be hosting an ITTF Basic Umpires programme and ITTF International Umpires programme scheduled for the 25 – 28 July 2018 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
The expert on duty will be ITTF Latin American Rules Judging Officiating and Umpires Director Ms. Yoanna Ramirez who hails from Venezuela, Ms Ramirez arrives in Guyana to conduct the programme today, with and extensive resume of coordinating major events in world table tennis. She is coming off her engagement of coordinating the Central America and Caribbean Games Barranquilla Colombia.
ITTF basic umpire’s course umpires course is self-funded by the GTTA and lobbied for by the GTTA in view of maximizing the benefit of the expert coming to Guyana to conduct the IU course so as to have more persons on the certification path and a greater nucleus of umpires. Basic umpires must be over 17 years old to receive certification.
This would be the first time in Guyana’s history that the International Umpires course is being offered and hosted in Guyana. the IU course is for umpires who would have successfully completed the ITTF Basic IU programme.
Additionally, this gives Guyana the opportunity to create an umpiring structure and development pathway and creating incentives for umpires to have career path, improve the level of officiating and quality and structure of our competitions, allows us to bid and to host international competitions while improving our player’s abilities and the profile of the sport.
The IU certification gives umpires the opportunity to benefit from officiating in international Global events. The GTTA has invited over 30 umpires from across the different regions to be part of the programme.