BEIJING, Sept. 27 -- China's table tennis legend Liu Guoliang announces his return to the sport's association here on Thursday, 15 months after the all-conquering coach stepped down.

Liu, however, was not coming back as head coach of the Chinese national team, but as the chairman-to-be of the Chinese table tennis association (CTTA), leading the preparatory team for the election committee of the CTTA for the moment.

"My priority will definitely be the preparations for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as well as the authority's management restructuring to improve training and efficiency in the Olympic preparations," said Liu.

Before Liu's return, the reigning CTTA chairman Cai Zhenhua, who is often credited with bringing Chinese table tennis into the limelight through the 1980s, was moved from post of deputy director of China's State General Administration of Sport.

The 42-year-old Liu, who won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, took a job as the CTTA vice-chairman in June, 2017, four years after he was appointed as the head coach.

With Liu's step down, the men's and women's national teams would be managed separately in the future, said a statement of China's table tennis authority, citing the saying of "seeking a better preparation for the 2020 Olympics."

The move, however, seemed more like a retirement, considering there were already 18 inactive vice chairmen.

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