Veteran sports administrator and table tennis icon Jane Pinto has died at the age of 91, exactly one week after celebrating her birthday.
Pinto passed away in Nairobi on Wednesday, bringing to a close a remarkable career that spanned decades and left an enduring mark on Kenyan and international table tennis.
She served as President of the Kenya Table Tennis Association from 2002 to 2014, having previously held the position of Deputy President for eight years. During her leadership, she played a pivotal role in transforming the sport in Kenya by strengthening the national team and championing opportunities for talented players from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Widely respected for her commitment to developing the game, Pinto was credited with expanding access to competitive table tennis and nurturing generations of athletes who went on to represent Kenya at regional and international competitions.
Her influence extended well beyond the country. Pinto’s association with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) began in the 1980s during the presidency of Roy Evans, when she was appointed a corresponding member of the ITTF Media Committee. She later became a full committee member, served on the ITTF Board of Directors, and from 2007 was a member of the ITTF President’s Advisory Council.
In recognition of her decades of distinguished service, she was named a Personal Honorary Member of the ITTF, one of the federation’s highest honours.
Pinto’s contribution to the global growth of table tennis was also acknowledged in 1997 during the World Table Tennis Championships in Manchester, where she received the prestigious ITTF Merit Award for her outstanding service to the development of the sport worldwide.
Tributes are expected to pour in from Kenya and across the international table tennis community, with many remembering Jane Pinto as a visionary administrator whose dedication helped shape the sport for generations.
