Kosovo's paddlers are set to make history here this week when they become the first to play in an international sports competition since the country declared independence.

A men's and women's team will compete in division four of the world team table tennis championships under the name Kosovo which declared its independence from Serbia one week ago.

"We are proud of course," paddler Besart Domaniku said yesterday. "We are honoured, and we are more motivated to do well than in the past." Kosovo have played in five individual and team world championships since the International Table Tennis Federation, the sport's governing body, recognised Kosovo as a sporting federation in 2003.

But this year the teams will, for the first time, play under the new Kosovo national flag, having used the United Nations flag and their table tennis federation flag in the past, the players said. "The prime minister (Hashim Thaci) handed us the new flag before we left for China," said another member of the men's team, Jeton Beqiri.

Kosovo declared itself independent this month, sparking celebrations in Prishtina, but triggering violent protests in Belgrade and the divided Kosovo city of Mitrovica.

Domaniku said however they were focusing on the competition rather than the problems at home. "That's political, we are a sporting team, so we are not interested in that," he said. "We just want there to be peace in our country and in others and we hope others feel the same," added Beqiri.

The Kosovo teams, each with three players, are expected to take to the tables today. They are not in the running to win the championships, with the men's team finishing 90th in Germany's Bremen in 2006. "But we are more motivated to do well here now (that they are playing under the Kosovo flag)," Beqiri said. During the week-long competition, they will not face Serbia who are competing in division one with powerhouses China and 22 other nations.

Under current rules a national or regional federation can be formally recognised and compete under the auspices of an international sports federation, independent of whether that country or region is formally recognised by the international community.

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