The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has launched a historic process to reform its Constitution, with a clear focus on the Centenary in 2026. The responsibility for leading this change does not rest with the executive leadership but with an independent figure: Andrés Constantin, the federation’s newly appointed Governance Manager and a high-profile expert with broad experience in this type of undertaking.
The decision to remove the leadership from the process aims to ensure full impartiality. Constantin will be the one to coordinate a task that goes beyond updating a legal document, as it will lay the foundations of the structure that will guide the next century of table tennis.
A jurist with international background
Born in Argentina and also holding Swiss nationality, Constantin studied law at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella and went on to complete a Master of Laws and a Doctorate in Juridical Sciences at Georgetown University in the United States. His academic career has led him to teach as a visiting professor at his alma mater in Argentina and as an adjunct professor at Georgetown.
Beyond academia, he has built an extensive international career working with organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. In all these roles, he has provided legal and policy advice, supported strategic litigation, and facilitated participatory processes with a wide range of stakeholders.
Neutral leadership for a historic reform
The 2025 Annual General Meeting approved by overwhelming majority a resolution from the Executive Board to modernize the Statutes. From there, Constantin was entrusted with designing and overseeing a participatory process in which every Continental Federation, Member Association and official will be able to put forward proposals.
The new constitutional framework will be built on five core principles: transparency, inclusivity, independence, accountability, and future-readiness. “Constitutional reform is not just about drafting a legal text, it is about trust, legitimacy and building the future together,” said Constantin, convinced that the project will truly belong to the global table tennis family.
Experience in governance and human rights
Before joining the ITTF, Constantin had already worked on governance projects across multiple continents, advising governments in Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. This background has allowed him to operate in very diverse cultural contexts and legal systems, something he now brings as an interdisciplinary and global perspective to table tennis.
He has led high-impact initiatives with a strong emphasis on transparency and fairness. His approach blends technical rigor with genuine participation, a model the ITTF aims to replicate to ensure that the new Constitution addresses current challenges and prepares the sport for decades to come.
A benchmark in participatory processes
The plan designed by Constantin makes the ITTF one of the most open federations when it comes to internal reforms. Regional dialogues under Chatham House Rules, one-to-one consultations, anonymous feedback forms, translations and public logs of every submission will form the backbone of the process. The goal is for every voice to count and for every contribution to be visibly reflected in the outcome.
This effort echoes recent reforms in other international federations, such as the new Constitution adopted by the International Paralympic Committee in 2021, or the changes introduced in the International Tennis Federation and World Aquatics. Yet the ITTF model stands out for the breadth of its participation channels and the complete independence of its leadership, making it a pioneering case in world sport.
