Accra, Feb 6, GNA - Golden Loopers, the National Table Tennis Team will as part of their preparations towards the impending All Africa Games scheduled for Algiers, Algeria this year undertake an intensive three month training tour to China. The training tour is expected to commence in April and end in May, after which the players will return to Ghana to round up their preparations for the championships.

Ebo Bartels, Chairman of the Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) who revealed this to the GNA Sports in an interview on Tuesday said at least six players will be taking part in the three month programme.

He said the GTTA has forwarded the request to the National Sports Council (NSC), which has given the programme its full backing, adding that discussions are ongoing with some stakeholders to finance the tour.

Bartels said the six-man team will be attached to clubs, academies and even national teams and would be expected to participate in series of tournaments and friendly matches to sharpen their skills.

He said it is expected that this will put the players in the best of conditions for the Games in Algeria.

On the criteria for selection of players for the tour, Bartels said the GTTA will this Saturday commence a national justifier-your-inclusion exercise within the next two months after which players with the highest number of points build-up will be selected for the trip.

Bartels said foreign-based players who will wish to participate in the tour must fly down to engage their local colleagues in a justifier to merit a place in the team. The Chairman said every single slot in the team is to be competed for, since there is no automatic place for any player, be he foreign or local based.

He, however, stated that the foreign-based players must fund their trip to Ghana for the justifier for their airfares to be refunded on conditions that they qualify for the main event.

When asked why Ghana is not participating in the World Championships in Croatia this May, Bartels said the competition is an individual event, hence it will be unwise for the nation to compete since 93our chances of winning medals are slim taking into consideration the ranking of Ghanaian players".

Bartels said they would have participated in the competition if it was a group event, adding that the Association envisages more prospects in the training tour as compared to the championship.

The Chairman said the All Africa Games has seven medals at stake and it will be prudent to concentrate on activities that will enhance their chances of winning medals at the Pan-African event.

Ghana at the last All Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria won only a bronze medal.