Membership Model Changes
As a result of the new National Membership Model released by Table Tennis Australia in 2025, there have been some recent changes as to how you are to use the system for Australian Table Tennis from 2026 onwards.
As outlined, only Club Comp and Comp Plus members will retain access to Ratings Central. This follows the exclusive arrangement TTA will enter with Ratings Central.
What This Means for You
- Directors are obligated to submit only Club Comp and Comp Plus members into Ratings Central.
- From March 2026, TTA and Ratings Central will commence formal monitoring to ensure compliance.
- Directors repeatedly found to have submitted ineligible players or events will have their Ratings Central accounts disabled, as this breaches the TTA–Ratings Central agreement.
- In addition, we have created a course in Spin Academy that all existing Event Directors must complete by 31st March, 2026. Please ensure you complete this to ensure your account remains active. We will begin disabling usage afterwards until it has been completed.
- You can access Spin Academy here: https://www.tabletennis.org.au/news/how-to-access-spin-academy. The Course is available under Essentials > TTA Ratings Central Director Certification.
- Effective immediately, all new directors must be certified before obtaining a Ratings Central Event Director account to ensure compliance by completing the above course.
We ask all directors to strictly adhere to these requirements to maintain the integrity, fairness, and accuracy of the system.
Thank you for your ongoing work and commitment. While change can be disruptive, these measures are essential to safeguarding the integrity, accuracy, and confidence in the Ratings Central system across Australia.
We ask for your support in implementing these changes. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, as we are more than happy to help.
FAQs
Why March 2026 and not January 2026?
There is commonly a delay between when players enter events and when their memberships are finalised by clubs. Allowing until March provides reasonable leeway. By then, most memberships will be current, particularly before the first major TTA Tour event and key State tournaments.
Why are only Club Comp and Comp Plus members eligible for Ratings Central?
Since 2019, TTA has funded Ratings Central access for Australian players on the understanding it would be used for full members only. Recent discrepancies of nearly 2,000 players indicated many directors were uploading non-members. Restricting access ensures benefits are applied correctly and maintains the integrity of both Ratings Central and the TTA membership model.
Why can’t directors or players simply pay Ratings Central directly?
Allowing direct payment would undermine TTA’s membership framework. Ratings accuracy depends on including only approved, eligible players. Linking membership access ensures fairness to all players who meet system requirements.
What if a player’s membership is still “processing” when I need to submit results?
Directors can withhold the result from being uploaded temporarily from the event. Once the player appears as a valid Club Comp or Comp Plus member in RevSport, results may be reuploaded by re-submitting the event. Irrespective, to play pennant, you must be a paid-up Club Comp member at a minimum!
What if a player states they are a member but the system shows them as ineligible?
Directors must rely on the player’s membership status in RevSport only. Players must resolve issues with their club or state association. Do not upload results for ineligible players.
Will historical results for non-eligible players be removed?
No. All existing historical data will remain. These requirements apply only to future submissions from 2026 onwards.
How can directors verify membership categories?
Directors should check RevSport or use the National Member Finder. Only confirmed Club Comp and Comp Plus members may be submitted.
Do these rules apply to all events, including junior, club championships or social-style competitions?
Yes. Any event submitted to Ratings Central must meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of level or format.
What about international players?
International players remain fully eligible as they are paid for by their country of origin. Restrictions apply only to Australian players under the new TTA membership model. They will show as “Verified International Player” as their membership type in the National Member Finder
Can Clubs or State Associations request exemptions for certain events?
No. To maintain national consistency and system integrity, exemptions will not be granted.
What support will be provided to directors during the transition?
The attached links and certification course in Spin Academy are your best lines of support. We already have some guidance on my website: https://kcttprojects.com/ratings-central/
What if a director believes their account was wrongly disabled?
There will be several warnings issued before an account is disabled, so this will not occur immediately. Ideally, once a member is flagged as ineligible, they would promptly restore their eligibility by updating or renewing their membership, which would in turn remove any prior warnings. It is therefore in the Director’s best interest to address warnings as they arise rather than disregard them. Reinstatement will only occur where there is an assurance that ineligible members will not be submitted again.
Does this change affect integration with tournament software?
No technical changes are required. Directors must simply ensure they submit results only for eligible players. To assist, you should use RevSport to restrict event sign-ups to specific payment classes.