ATHLETE / NOC QUOTA
Athlete quota: 86 men + 86 women = Total of 172 athletes
Maximum per NOC: The maximum number of athletes per NOC shall be 3 men and 3 women in the individual events, and a maximum of 2 men’s pairs and 2 women’s pairs in the doubles event.
QUALIFICATION SYSTEM
SINGLES – 64 men and 64 women
Sixty-four (64) athletes for each of the men’s singles and women’s singles events will qualify as follows:
20 ITTF World Ranking, with a maximum of two (2) players per NOC
40 Continental qualification system
1 Host nation direct entry
2 World Qualification Event
1 Tripartite Commission Invitation place
64 Total - with a maximum of three (3) players from the same NOC
1. ITTF World Ranking, May 2003
The top 20 players on the first ITTF World Ranking published following the 2003 World Championship, in May 2003, will be qualified, with a maximum of 2 players per NOC. NOCs with more than 2 players ranked in the top 20 have the right to select the players qualified through this criteria.
2. Continental qualification events
Players will be qualified through continental qualification events, held between June 2003 to 15 April 2004, according to the following distribution: 6 Africa, 11 Asia, 11 Europe, 6 Latin America, 3 North America, 3 Oceania = 40 Total
The maximum number of entries per NOC in the continental qualification events shall be limited to the maximum number of places available to the respective NOC following qualification through the ITTF World Ranking of May 2003.
3. Host nation
The host nation shall directly qualify 1 place in each individual event.
4. World Qualification Tournament
The top 2 players at the Worl d Qualification Tournament will qualify for the Olympic Games. Entries to the World Qualification Tournament will be limited to players who have otherwise not qualified by the ITTF World Ranking or by continental qualification. NOCs may only enter a maximum number of athletes as they have remaining qualification places below the maximum number of 3 per NOC. The number of qualification places from this competition may be increased if the continental qualification allocation of 40 players is not reached.
5. Tripartite Commission (IOC-ANOC-ITTF) Invitation places
NOCs may apply for Tripartite Commission Invitation places in accordance with the identified timeline. The deadline for NOCs to submit their requests for Tripartite Commission Invitation places is 15 November 2003. The Tripartite Commission will confirm, in writing, a preliminary allocation of Invitation places to the NOCs by 31 January 2004. The allocation of remaining Invitation places will be confirmed, in writing, to the NOCs by July 2004. The ITTF will invite
a limited number of Invitation place applicants to compete in the World Qualification Tournament, and 1 Invitation place will be allocated based on the results of the Invitation place applicants at this event.
DOUBLES – 22 Men and 22 Women
In addition to the players qualified for singles, 22 men and 22 women will qualify for the doubles event.
The 22 additional players will be selected by each of the ITTF’s Continental Federations according to the following distribution: 3 Africa, 6 Asia, 6 Europe (including a direct entry for the host nation), 3 Latin America, 2 North America
2 Oceania = 22 Total players
It is recommended that each Continental Federation selects and forms the maximum number of doubles pairs using the total number of players who have qualified through singles plus the above allocation
Players in each doubles pair must be from the same NOC
It is acceptable that both players in a doubles pair not be entered in the singles event
A maximum of 2 men’s and 2 women’s doubles pairs per NOC may be entered
In each doubles event, the host nation is guaranteed 1 entry from the continental quota (of its own continent) in case that no doubles pair from the host nation qualifies through the continental qualification system
QUALIFICATION TIMELINE
May 2003 - ITTF World Ranking list published following the 2003 World Championship June 2003 - 15 April 2004 Period for holding the continental qualification events
12 – 16 October 2003 - All African Games, Africa continental qualification events, Singles and Doubles, Abuja (NIG)
15 November 2003 - Deadline for the submission of requests for Tripartite Commission Invitation places by all NOCs
27 – 30 November 2003 - Singles qualification tournament for Europe, Luxembourg
14-15 February 2004 - North America continental qualification tournament, Singles, Vancouver, (CAN)
14-20 February 2004 - Latin America continental qualification event, Valdivia, (CHI)
3-4 April 2004 - Qualification tournament for Europe, Doubles, (GER)
3-4 April 2004 - North America continental qualification tournament, Doubles, (USA)
9-13 April 2004 - Asia continental qualification event, Singles and Doubles, (CHN)
12-15 April 2004 - Oceania continental qualification tournament, Singles and Doubles, Melbourne Victoria, (AUS)
31 January 2004 - The Tripartite Commission will confirm, in writing, a preliminary allocation of Invitation places to the NOCs
30 April 2004 - Notification of qualified players and pairs by Continental Federations to the ITTF Headquarters
13-16 May 2004 - Final World Qualification Tournament for singles, Innsbruck, (AUT)
30 May 2004 - ITTF to confirm to NFs/NOCs the names of all qualified players and pairs
15 June 2004 - NOCs to confirm to ITTF the entry of participating players and pairs
30 June 2004 - ITTF to confirm the final allocation of all quota places
July 2004 - The Tripartite Commission will confirm, in writing, the allocation of remaining Invitation places to the NOCs
21 July 2004 - Deadline for Athens 2004 Organising Committee to receive entry forms submitted by NOCs
DATES / PROCESS OF CONFIRMATION OF PLACES
By 30 April 2004, Continental Federations will notify the ITTF of the names of qualified players and pairs for the respective continent, in order to determine eligibility for entry to the Final World Qualification. Following the conclusion of the Final World Qualification event, and by 30 May 2004 at the latest, the ITTF will confirm in writing to NFs the names of all qualified players and pairs. By 15 June 2004, NFs/NOCs must submit to the ITTF the names of all participating players and pairs, and by 30 June 2004, the ITTF will confirm the final allocation of all quota places.
REALLOCATION OF UNUSED QUOTA POSITIONS SINGLES
1. ITTF World Ranking List
If a player qualified from the ITTF World Ranking list is not entered by their NOC, the unused quota place will be reallocated to the next highest ranked player from the ITTF World Ranking list.
2. Continental Qualification Tournaments/Final World Qualification Tournaments
Any vacant spot created between the Continental Qualification Tournaments and the Final World Qualification Tournament will be filled by the next eligible player from the Continental Qualification lists. If the continental quotas are not filled before the Final World Qualification Tournament, the vacant spots will be filled by increasing the number
of qualifiers from the Final World Qualification Tournament.
3. Cancellations of entries following 21 July 2004
If a vacant spot is created in singles due to injury or other uncontrollable reasons during the Games period between 21 July 2004 (date of final entries) and the day prior to the draw, then the player entered only in doubles with the highest singles ranking may be entered in the singles event.
DOUBLES
Unused quota places for the doubles events will be allocated to the next eligible pair available from the respective doubles Continental Qualification list from where the vacancy has been created, in relation to the quota available (1 or 2 places). If a continent cannot present a new double the vacant position will be granted to the player(s) not already qualified for the doubles having finished in the highest position in the Final World Qualification Tournament and having
the possibility to form a pair with a player already qualified for singles.
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