Table tennis CEO Virginia Sung gets board spot on USOPC

By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer

DENVER (AP) — USA Table Tennis CEO Virginia Sung won an election to serve on the board of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee on Wednesday. She will take over a spot held by former Duke athletic director Kevin White.

Sung won in a race that came down to her and Max Siegel, the CEO of USA Track and Field — a contest between the leader of one of the country’s smaller national governing bodies and one of its biggest.

USA Table Tennis’ budget of about $2.5 million in 2020 is in line with those of around half of the 51 NGBs that had votes in determining who would take White’s place starting next year. USATF’s budget was around $36 million in 2020.

USA Wrestling chief Rich Bender had previously been elected to serve another term as an NGB director on the 16-person board. Elections for other open seats will take place later this year. Gene Sykes, the former CEO of the LA 2028 host committee, will replace Susanne Lyons as chair on Jan. 1.

Sung became CEO of USA Table Tennis in 2019. Her bio on the organization’s website says she “founded and served as CEO of a number of large scale businesses in China, some with over 200 employees.” She was a six-time member of world championship teams between 1993 and 2001.

The U.S. has not won a medal in table tennis since its introduction to the Olympic program in 1988.