Chinese table tennis chief Liu Guoliang resigns, replaced by Olympic champion Wang Liqin

Liu Guoliang has resigned as president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), with CTTA vice-president Wang Liqin elected the organisation’s new chief on Wednesday.

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Having achieved a career singles grand slam of Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup, Liu was appointed chief coach of China’s national team in 2013, leading the team to a sweep of four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He was first elected CTTA president in 2018, and re-elected in 2023. During his tenure, China claimed nine of 10 Olympic gold medals in table tennis at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

Wang, 46, is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and three-time World Championships singles winner. Retiring from the national team in 2013, he has served as CTTA vice-president since 2018.

Liu quit two days after the CTTA named the country’s squad for next month’s ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals in Qatar.

Wang Chuqin will lead China’s charge at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals. Photo: Xinhua

Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu will lead a star-studded cast that also includes the likes of Liang Jingkun, Lin Gaoyuan and Xue Fei in the men’s team.

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