Tom Jarvis says he was honoured to receive the Richard Bergmann Fair Play Award for his sportsmanship at the ITTF World Championships in Doha.

Tom was put forward for the award after his match in the last 16 against world No 5 Liang Jingkun of China. On several occasions during the match, which Liang won in six games, Tom granted a let after his opponent asked for one, believing the ball had been wet when Tom served.

The award is presented by the Swaythling Club International, which was set up in 1967 to promote friendship and sportsmanship through table tennis and its members are made up of former international players and officials who represented their countries at World Championships or Olympics.

The prize was collected on Tom’s behalf in Doha by Table Tennis Chair Clare Briegal, who handed it over to him, along with a framed photograph, at a recent TTE staff meeting.

Tom said: “It was a tough match against Liang with some really hot conditions and I think the fairness in that match was recognised.

“Fair play is a big part of the sport and I’m very happy to be recognised by the SCI.”

Who was Richard Bergmann?

Richard Bergmann, after whom the Fair Play Award is named, was an Austrian Jew who emigrated to England to escape the Nazis before the Second World War.

Widely considered to be one of the greatest players in history, he won seven world titles, including four in the Men’s Singles, which places him second only to Victor Barna in the record books.

He won 22 World Championships medals in total, including the 1936 Men’s Team gold and 1937 Men’s Singles gold for Austria.

For his adopted nation, he won Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles gold in 1939, Men’s Singles gold at Wembley in 1948, a further Singles gold in 1950 and Team gold in 1953, the only time England has won the Swaythling Cup Men’s Team trophy.

Among his other medals were two bronzes in the 1954 World Championships at Wembley, the last time London hosted the Championships, which will return to the city in 2026.