The GB Para
Table Tennis Team

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Table tennis is one of the traditional Paralympic sports and has been included in the Paralympic Games since the inaugural Games in Rome 1960. Standing players were included for the first time in 1976 in Toronto and athletes with cerebral palsy for the first time in 1980 in Arnhem, The Netherlands.

Para table tennis follows the laws set by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) with only slight modifications to the serving laws for athletes competing in wheelchairs. Athletes with a range of disabilities can take part and there are 11 different classifications: 1-5 for those competing in wheelchairs, 6-10 for those who play standing and 11 for those with an intellectual disability.

Structure

There is a three-tier structure of athletes

Performance Squad

This consists of 16 athletes with the potential to medal at World and Paralympic level who are funded by UK Sport and train full time to prepare for international competitions

Pathway Squad

This consists of between 10-12 athletes who are competing in international competitions and working towards a place on the Performance Squad

Development Squad

This consists of between 10-12 athletes who are considered to have the potential to become GB players