Glenn Tepper Inducted as an ITTF-Oceania Honorary Life Member

ITTF-Oceania is pleased to announce that Glenn Tepper from Australia was unanimously appointed as an ITTF-Oceania Honorary Life Member at the 2026 ITTF-Oceania AGM held on 22 May.

A summary of Glenn’s achievements at all levels includes, but are not limited to:

INTERNATIONAL TABLE TENNIS FEDERATION – OCEANIA:

  • Oceania Table Tennis Development Officer:
  1. Part-time (1994 – 1998)
  2. Full-time (1999 – 2000)
  • In 1999 setup the Oceania Development Program from scratch as a pilot program for ITTF. After 2 years the program was extremely successful, which led to it being replicated in all continents worldwide.
  • Recognised by ONOC (Oceania National Olympic Committees) as the best Development Program among all sports.
  • Worked together with ASP2000 (Australia South Pacific 2000) and ONOC in 1998-1999 to assist in furthering IOC (International Olympic Committee) applications for Olympic status for Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and East Timor by working with key government and sports bodies.

 

INTERNATIONAL TABLE TENNIS FEDERATION:

  • ITTF Staff Member 1999 – 2018:
  1. ITTF-Oceania Development Officer (1999 – 2000)
  2. ITTF Development Director (2001 – 2010)
  3. ITTF Deputy CEO (2011 – 2018)
  • Responsible for four key initiatives:
  1. Setting up a worldwide ITTF Development Program. Setup from scratch to become a multi-award-winning program including: Peace and Sport Awards, Beyond Sport Awards, Sport Accord Spirit of Sport Awards, 360 Sports Marketing Making a Difference Awards, and FICTS – Federation Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs Sports Movies and TV Awards. The program had 10 fulltime staff, 100 part-time course conductors and a A$3,000,000 budget. Recognised as one of the best Development Programs by the International Olympic Committee and ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations). During Glenn’s tenure, over 2,000 courses were held worldwide and over 1,400 equipment packages were distributed worldwide.
  2. To set up an ITTF Coach Accreditation System. Setup from scratch a worldwide 4-level ITTF Coach Accreditation System, in over 10 languages, plus training and mentoring course conductors. Author of the ITTF Level 1 Coaching Manual. During Glenn’s tenure, over 1,500 courses were presented and 7,000 coaches were accredited worldwide.
  3. To have every country on earth as a member of ITTF. In 2017 ITTF became the first sport to have every country in the world as a member, which eventuated after 20 years work on this initiative. The aim was to add a small number of new countries per year to ensure their administrators, coaches, umpires and referees could be trained sufficiently to ensure sustainability. During Glenn’s tenure, ITTF reached 226 members, which is more than any other sport and even more than IOC.
  4. Set up ITTF CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Program. Using table tennis as a vehicle for social change, projects were established with organisations including UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees), Peace and Sport, Generations for Peace, IPC (International Paralympic Committee), and Save the Children, plus many nationally based projects.
  • Staff Recruiting, Training and Mentorship: Responsible for recruiting, training and mentoring all ITTF Development and ITTF Education and Training Staff over 20 years, including many people who have gone on to hold prominent roles. Such people include the Steve Dainton (former WTT CEO and former ITTF Group CEO), Michael Brown (former ITTF CFO and WTT COO), Polona Cehovin (former ITTF High Performance and Development Director), Leandro Olvech (ITTF Foundation Director) and Scott Houston (ITTF-Oceania CEO).
  • ITTF Executive Committee: Attended all ITTF Executive Committee Meetings 2001-2017.
  • ITTF Board of Directors: Attended all ITTF Board of Directors Meetings 2001-2017.
  • ITTF AGM: Attended all ITTF AGM’s 1999-2019.
  • Ping Pong Diplomacy 40th Anniversary: The Peace and Sport Cup was organised to celebrate the anniversary, bringing together countries in conflict as a doubles team while bringing country ambassadors together in a round table including North Korea and South Korea, USA and Iran, plus India and Pakistan.
  • Asia Table Tennis Union Projects Director 2019-2021: Setting, managing and implementing the ATTU “Aim for the Stars” Project with a US$500,000 budget.

 

TABLE TENNIS AUSTRALIA:

  • National Coaching Director (1996 – 1999):
  1. Set up TTA Coach Accreditation System.
  2. Co-author of TOPS-Table Tennis in Schools Program.
  3. Travelled to 4 states and territories annually on a rotating basis leading coach education, junior training camps and providing administrative support.
  4. Organised all aspects of the Talent Identification and National Junior Camps Program.
  5. Coach Education including producing Coaching Newsletters and running Coaching Seminars.
  6. Produced and updated the National Coaching Plan.
  • Between 1991 – 1998: Organised and led Australian Table Tennis Junior Training Camps during 4 school holidays each year. This played a part in identifying and developing many players who went on to represent Australia at the Oceania Championships, World Championships, World Cup and Olympic Games.

 

FEDERATION TAHITIENNE DE TENNIS DE TABLE:

  • 1991: Preparation for South Pacific Games (National Coach).
  • 1994: Organising Committee for the Oceania Championships and National Coach at the Oceania Championships.
  • 1999-2000-2001: Development visits.
  • Tahiti’s first Gold Medal at South Pacific Games for many years (Eric Cholet in Men’s Singles).
  • Multiple training camps in Australia for elite Tahitian junior players to train with Table Tennis Australia national squads and National Junior Camps.

 

OTHER INFORMATION:

Aside from Glenn’s outstanding contribution as an administrator, Glenn also enjoyed a distinguished career as a player and coach for Australia:

  • Australian Table Tennis Men’s Team Captain at: 2 x World Championships 1993 and 1995, Asian Championships 1994, and 2 x Commonwealth Championships in 1994 and 1995.
  • Australian Men’s Team player (1982 – 1991) including 3 x World Championships 1983, 1985 and 1989, 3 x Asian Championships 1982, 1984 and 1988, 4 x Commonwealth Championships 1983, 1985, 1989 and 1991, and 3 x Oceania Championships 1982, 1986 and 1991.
  • Highest rankings achieved: World – 168, Commonwealth – 8, Oceania – 2, Australia – 3, and Victoria – 1.
  • Titles won: 2 x Oceania Men’s Doubles, Oceania Teams Champion, 3 x Australian Mixed Doubles Champion, 6 x Australian Teams Champion, Victorian Open Singles Champion, South Australian Open Singles Champion.
  • Glenn and his three siblings all represented Australia at senior level. This is a record that will likely never be broken.
  • Additionally, Glenn was inducted into the Table Tennis Australia Hall of Fame (Administrator) in 2020.

Across ITTF-Oceania’s proud 49-year history, Glenn has undoubtedly been one of the biggest contributors to the region. Glenn is also one of the highest achievers from Oceania on the ITTF stage. Glenn is worthy to become the tenth ITTF-Oceania Honorary Life Member and will sit comfortably alongside the nine previous inductees.

Congratulations Glenn.