Godfrey Lothian, the man who resurrected table tennis in Jamaica, dies

The 66-year-old was found dead at his home in Portmore, St Catherine sometime after midday today. The cause of his death is unknown and will have to be determined by a coroner’s inquest. 

Lothian spent more than four decades at the state-owned Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) working as a sports officer until his retirement in 2015.

During those forty-odd years the Greenwich Town native served as president of the Kingston and St. Andrew Cricket Association, the Greenwich Town Football Club as well as the Greenwich Town Community Development Committee. He was also a director at the Jamaica Cricket Association.

However the highlight of his career as a sport administrator was when he served as president of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) from 2013 before his unceremonious ouster earlier this year following a contentious legal court battle over its leadership.

Lothian took charge of a sport that was literally dead at the time, and breathe life into it. The unimaginable resurrection saw the sport returning to national and international spotlight with regular staging of national tournaments in addition to the hosting of regional events.  A four-year deal with global sport brand Stag worth close of US$1 million formed the basis of table tennis’ revival under Lothian, as the agreement with the India-based firm covered  match tables, balls, umpire tables, scoreboards, score counters and gear for the national team.

“Table Tennis Jamaica will be able to stand on its own feet for a number of years in terms of being able to host competitions and tournaments. We will be able to attire the national teams in proper uniforms.

“With this deal Jamaica can host international tournaments like Germany and other countries,” said the late former president at the time in an interview with Old Harbour News.

At that time Lothian had close to 100 schools and some 40 clubs actively involved in table tennis. Today, well over 1000 children and approximately 104 clubs play table tennis, much to the credit of Lothian, who also established the National Table Tennis Premier League for both genders. Through Lothian a partnership agreement with his presidential counterpart in Japan, saw Jamaica benefiting from training and development initiatives of local talents by way of camps in the Far East Asian country and assigning a Japanese coach here.

In 2016 Lothian, a justice of the peace, was unanimously elected Council Member of the Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation. Two years later he was elevated to the role of first vice-president of the regional body, a position he held up to the time of his untimely passing.

For three consecutive years — 2016, 2017, and 2018 – Jamaica hosted the Caribbean championships, capturing 17 medals in 2017, an historic feat which is yet to be surpassed.

Lothian’s push to reform the JTTA’s constitution, which would have increased his presidential term in office from two to four years, as well was rebrand the organisation to Table Tennis Jamaica, were challenged in the local courts by his opponents. This, Lothian said, was legitimately done at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and voting congress on January 28, 2021. However, the Supreme Court ruled the amendments and election process null and void.

There were also question marks around the finances of the association as there were no audited financials during Lothian’s reign, a crucial weapon used against him by his detractors, who also accused him being autocratic and power hungry.

Sport Minister Olivia Grange said she was “deeply shocked to learn” of Lothian’s unexpected death, while noting that he was “a devoted servant of the sport of table tennis in Jamaica and his contribution will not be forgotten”.

“My heartfelt sympathy to his family, JTTA and the table tennis fraternity,” Grange added.

Andrew Lue, the man who succeeded Lothian at the helm of the sport’s national governing body, said of his predecessor:  “I am shocked to hear of the sudden passing of Mr Godfrey Lothian, immediate past president of the JTTA. On behalf of the JTTA I offer our sympathies and heartfelt condolences to his family.”

Lothian’s former colleague at the Institute of Sports Maureen Chin-Miller wrote: Former co-worker and brethren Godfrey Lothian has gone to be with his father, may is soul rest in peace.”