Liu Guoliang gives a thumbs-up to Chinese players as they train ahead of the 2019 World Table Tennis Championships in Budapest. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - ITTF executive vice-president Liu Guoliang has been appointed by the World Table Tennis (WTT) as a new board member.

Liu, also the current WTT Council Chair, will use his unparalleled experience to further boost WTT in its mission to transform table tennis and grow the sport worldwide, the WTT said in a statement released on Friday.

"As Chair of the WTT Council, I worked to ensure the entire table tennis family work in unison to make WTT a global success. Now, being a member of the board too, it will be my honor to continue helping WTT strive for the benefit of our sport," said Liu.

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It has long been my dream to make table tennis as big globally as it is in my country. I believe in the potential of our sport, and in WTT (World Table Tennis) being the right vehicle to reach that goal.

Liu Guoliang, ITTF executive vice-president

"It has long been my dream to make table tennis as big globally as it is in my country. I believe in the potential of our sport, and in WTT being the right vehicle to reach that goal," added the Chinese table tennis legend.

The decision follows his election as ITTF executive vice-president during the ITTF Annual General Meeting held in Houston, the United States on Nov 24, 2021. The WTT decided to appoint Liu to the board as he was entrusted with the "Commercial (WTT)" portfolio during the Executive Committee meeting held on January 29.

"Mr Liu Guoliang is a legend of our sport who has demonstrated great leadership as president of one of our most successful member associations. He has the ITTF Executive Committee's full trust as we know he will be instrumental for World Table Tennis," said ITTF president Petra Sorling, who will be regularly invited to the WTT Board meetings.

Retired table tennis champion and current president of China's Table Tennis Association Liu Guoliang (center) congratulates the Chinese team after their defeat of Germany to win the table tennis men's team gold medal match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Aug 6, 2021, in Tokyo. (KIN CHEUNG / AP)

Liu replaces Matt Pound, managing director of WTT, who will be able to focus on day-to-day business operations and activities.

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The other board members of WTT - Khalil Al Mohannadi, ITTF executive vice-president, and Steve Dainton, WTT director and ITTF Group CEO - remain in their position.

Liu has won all the major titles both as a player and head coach of the Chinese men's team. In 2018, he was elected president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. In 2021, he was elected as an ITTF executive vice-president.