THE Seychelles Table Tennis Association's (STTA) chairman, Mr Francis Remie, has said that now that the association's youth development programme has been well implemented, more senior players are being asked to come and play the game.

Chairman Remie explained that emphasis would still be placed on grooming the youths into quality players but at the same time, the seniors were being invited to mingle with the juniors so as to increase the association's membership.

According to the same Remie, the association is having talks with the National Sports Council (NSC) to get the Roche Caïman Omnisports Gym, where table tennis matches are played, to remain open until 8 p.m. so that new members can get more time to play.

Senior players who would like to become a member of the STTA have to pay a registration fee of R25 and a monthly contribution of R10 or R100 for a year.

The association is also expected to decentralise the sport by bringing the game to the districts of Port Glaud and Anse Boileau later on this year.

Meanwhile, member-players will be involved in a fund-raising activity – the STTA Challenge – sometime in March. A player will get to challenge an opponent for a match and before playing, he/she should look for sponsorship. A person who sponsors a player more than R25 will get a free entrance while those who will be coming to watch the matches will have to pay R10.

Another new activity on the STTA calendar is the 'Breaking Down Barriers With Table Tennis Balls' programme initiated by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

STTA chairman Remie explained that the ITTF was calling on all national associations to give a helping hand in fighting injustice, poverty, the spread of AIDS, alcoholism and drug smoking among the youths worldwide.

In order to spread this message, a number of table tennis initiation activities would be organised by the local association during the course of the year and sponsors are being invited to contribute financially in making the events a success.

The STTA, which has been instrumental in putting in place a successful youth development programme, will this year again organise a number of competitions to cater for the large number of players.

The local calendar will start on Sunday February 17 with the annual Curtain Raiser Tournament and as it has been the case over the past three years, the young players are expected to continue to challenge the more experienced seniors.

Apart from the Curtain Raiser Tournament and the STTA Challenge, the association is to organise another eight local competitions this season.

With strong competitions expected locally, the table tennis players will have to fight for places on the country's teams for international competitions like the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England; the Mauritius Open; the Tournoi de la Réunion and the African Championship in Tunisia.

There will also be a promotional tour on Praslin and La Digue in mid June.