Paul Drinkhall has two key areas of focus following the ITTF Athletes’ Commission’s first formal meeting since elections earlier this year.

Paul was voted on to the Commission alongside nine other athletes during the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026.

He and China’s Liu Shiwen were appointed as Co-Chairs shortly afterwards and both now also sit as Athlete Representatives on the ITTF Executive Board under the new ITTF Constitution.

The Commission met online last week and the main order of business was to allocate different ‘portfolios’ to the members.

Paul will focus on WTT relations and on rules, technical matters and equipment.

There are two other British athletes on the Commission and Jack Hunter-Spivey will also focus on rules, technical matters and equipment, as well as athlete welfare and wellbeing, while Charlotte Carey’s areas of responsibility are high performance and athlete pathways and anti-doping and integrity.

Paul said: “The ITTF have got working groups going on in those subjects and the athletes will be part of those groups and coming in with their points of view.

“It’s about getting the athletes’ views across and making sure voices are heard, and passing on information back to them.

“I don’t really see it this way, but I’ve become a bit of a politician I guess – sitting in meetings and trying to get a general consensus and go in a direction.

“I’ve always been interested in trying to help table tennis and the main way of doing that is to make sure the athletes are as happy as can be. They are the ones putting themselves on the line and if they are happy, the events work better and have a higher level.”

ITTF President Petra Sörling dropped into the meeting to wish the Commission well, and Paul added: “That was very good, showing and saying how much she values the athletes.

“There’s quite a lot of change going on within the structure and I’ll try to work as closely as I can with WTT.

“I’ve got a decent relationship with Petra and I’m speaking to her more now.”

The Athletes’ Commission remains the primary channel for table tennis players to advocate directly to the sport’s leadership, ensuring the athlete voice is embedded in decisions that shape the sport’s future.