Para Table Tennis is an adaptation of table tennis for athletes with a range of disabilities. The sport follows the rules set by the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) with some modifications for wheelchair players. The athletes are classified according to their disabilities in disability classes from Class 1 to 11.
Para table tennis matches include five sets of eleven points each and are usually played in a best of five format. The sport was included at the Summer Paralympics in 1960 in Rome and since then competed regularly. The first World Championships of the sport were held in 1990 in Netherlands, then in 1998 and then after organized in every four years.
To hit the ball over and across the net on the opponent’s side of the table so that the opponent can’t return the ball and score a point
Table tennis has been a part of every Paralympics since the first Games held in Rome in 1960 and is one of the original eight sports. It did not make its Olympic Games debut almost 30 years later in Seoul 1988.
Para table tennis competition included singles and doubles events, with a maximum of three classes per gender in each.
The first Para Table Tennis World Championships did not take place until well after its introduction to the Paralympics Games and were held in Assen, the Netherlands in 1990.
Singles
Men’s Singles or Women’s Singles events
Doubles
Men’s Doubles or Women’s Doubles events
Mixed Doubles
Pair of one male and one female player each side
Team
Team events consist of a group of singles and doubles events.
Para table tennis is played by men and women as individuals (one player each side), as pairs (two players each side) or as teams.
Para Table Tennis - Wheelchair
Wheelchairs used in the sport have two large wheels and a small wheel. The wheelchairs may have one or maximum two cushions whose height is limited to 15 cm. In team and class events, the player's' body above the knees must not be attached to the chair as this could improve balance.
Para Table Tennis - Clothing
Para-Table Tennis players wear lightweight short sleeved or sleeveless shirts with shorts or a pair of trousers.
The playing techniques in Para Table Tennis are same as that in table tennis.
The playing space must be not less than 14m long and 7m wide and the flooring should not be of concrete in the international competitions. In wheelchair events, the table length should be at least 40cm from the end line of the table; the playing space is around 8m long and 6m wide and the floor may be of concrete unlike other events.
Referee
He/she is responsible for the entire organization of the para table tennis event.
Umpire
He/she controls the match, announces points and makes the call during the match.
Assistant Umpire
In international competitions, assistant umpire shares the umpire’s duties, signals out of bound balls and can declare an illegal serve.
