rich history

On My Responsibility
Ali Al-Basha
Alialbasha540@gmail.com
Last time, when we praised the Bahraini table tennis team’s achievement at the Arab level, as the first title for Bahraini clubs, we received numerous communications on various websites, including praise and comments. Some felt that we hadn’t drawn attention to other influential figures who contributed to these achievements, which, in fact, did not arise from a vacuum.
Although discussing the Gazelle table tennis team cannot be summarized in an article of no more than 300 words, historical integrity requires not neglecting administrators who have had a significant impact on the development of the game. The late Sheikh Salman bin Isa and Khalifa bin Isa, two former club presidents, clearly left their mark on this development.
This impact wasn’t limited to table tennis; it was even greater in football as well, as the Bahraini Gazelle team won the Premier League more than once. However, they, along with brother Othman Sharif, have not neglected this small game, because it lays the foundation for success, ever since the first title was achieved at the junior level in 1976. Because if the “presidency” had lasted for those we mentioned, it would not have reached those who came after them. The achievements during the era of the late Al-Sa’i and Dr. Al-Khashram are continuous with those who came before them, and the current president, lawyer Al-Khashram, during whose era the Arab achievement was achieved, can be proud of that. History is “trustworthy” and we should not neglect to mention that golden record. However, former international player Sadiq Sadiq Mattar, one of the founders of the modern game at the club, points to the exceptional role of the late Sheikh Isa bin Rashid, the honorary president of the club, who agreed to the club contracting with the first professional coach, the Chinese “Misterin”, who was an international player in his country’s national team. Mattar says that more than 40 players from the club’s sons and those who were contracted participated in 24 championships at various levels, such as Al-Madah, Salman Yousef, Saleh Hassan, Faisal Saeed, Dr. Abdul Rahman Askar, and Mohammed Al-Mutawa. After that came the generation of Badr Shamsan, up to the current generation, and the list goes on.