Ex-Chinese table tennis head Liu Guoliang tipped to leave federation role to focus on WTT
Outgoing China table tennis chief Liu Guoliang could also be about to leave his position as the deputy president of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and focus on his role in further developing World Table Tennis (WTT) professional events.
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Before handing his baton at the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) to Wang Liqin on Wednesday, Liu – a multiple Olympic and World Championships winner – was also the chairman of the WTT Council.
But according to Chinese media, the 49-year-old could leave his ITTF role to focus solely on his WTT duties.
Liu is said to want to elevate table tennis' commercial events to a level comparable to the four grand slams of tennis, to attract more sponsors and fans, to raise more income through gate receipts and live broadcast rights, and to ultimately allow athletes to receive high appearance fees and bonuses.
He said on Wednesday, after the announcement of his stepping down from CTTA: 'I've always believed table tennis deserves a bigger stage, a broader voice and a more connected future. My time at CTTA was about building strength at home, but my passion has always extended beyond borders.
Liu Guoliang wants to raise table tennis' profile to the level of tennis' grand slams. Photo: Xinhua
'In my international roles, I now have the opportunity to focus on growing the sport globally, bringing it to new audiences, empowering new talents, and elevating how the world experiences table tennis, whilst also showing to the world the charm of my country, China.
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