ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF TABLE TENNIS OFFICIALS

Referee

The referee must be present in the playing hall throughout play, to decide any question of rule
interpretation, on which he/she is the sole authority, and generally to ensure that the competition
is conducted in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations. The referee is also responsible
for the appointment of match officials. Although he will not normally make such appointments
himself, he/she must be satisfied that the officials are competent and that they act fairly and
consistently. He/She should explain to the umpires, in his pre-tournament briefing, how he
expects laws and regulations to be applied, especially where any of these are new or might be
contentious.

Umpire

The umpire’s primary duty is to decide the result of each rally. In principle, the umpire has no
discretionary powers, but he is required to exercise judgment in applying some laws and
regulations, such as deciding whether a rally should be a let because a player’s service or return
may have been affected by circumstances outside the player’s control, or whether a player’s
behaviour is acceptable.

Assistant Umpire

The assistant umpire takes over or shares some of the umpire’s duties. Additionally, the assistant
umpire is solely responsible for decisions on edge balls at the side of the table nearest to him/her,
and he/she has the same power as the umpire to decide the legality of a player’s service action,
whether a player obstructs the ball and some of the conditions for a let.

Timekeeper
The timekeeper is required to monitor the duration of practice, of play in a game, of intervals
between games and of any authorized suspension of play, and his decision is final on the time
that has elapsed.

Stroke Counter
The stroke counter’s duty is solely to count the return strokes of the receiver and his decision on
this question of fact cannot be overruled.

QUALITIES OF TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS

Physical Qualities

He/She must be physically fit. He/She must be able to do his/her assigned tasks and still have
extra energy for recreation and/or emergencies. He/She must be trained to deal with different
situations.

Emotional Qualities

He/She must be emotionally ready for anything that may happen during the match. In doing so,
he/she must have confidence. He/She must look confident in his/her body language and happy to
be there. He/She must maintain a positive attitude, be firm but respectful, and must make his/her
decisions as soon as it’s possible to get the full picture and to show that he/she knows what
he/she is doing.

Social Qualities

He/she must be able to deal appropriately with others at any given situation. He/She must be able
to settle disputes without sacrificing the integrity of a game and the officiating team.
Additionally, he/she must be always respectful. He/She must treat everyone with courtesy and
respect, but with some distance. He/She must be receptive to questions, complaints, and attempts
to communicate with him/her, and make sure that he/she clearly communicates with them.
Lastly, he/she must focus on being in the zone while he/she is on the field, and leave the
reactions of other people out of it. He/She must keep his/her decisions objective and free from
the fear of upsetting anyone, and he/she must not lose control of his/her emotions.

Mental Qualities

He/She must be mentally-able. He/She must be mentally tough while he/she is officiating a
game. He/She must have common sense. His/Her knowledge of the rules combined with His/her
experiences on the field make a formidable combination when it comes to making decisions on
the field and thinking of ways to improve his/her game.
Above all, he/she must be a person of integrity. He/She must not be biased He/she must keep
his/her opinions private—don’t talk about players or teams that he/she might see again in the
future, don’t bet on matches, and don’t get into positions where conflicts of interest could end up
compromising his/her on-the-job values. He/She should also be consistent in officiating a match.