After a prolonged absence from the national spotlight, table tennis legend Liu Guoliang is making a triumphant return.

Liu, the world's most decorated table tennis coach, on Thursday was named head of a preparatory group for the general election of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, and will helm the association during the transitional period.

"To make sure preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are well on track, the association will deepen the reform to transform into a fully fledged nongovernmental organization, thus pulling together a preparatory group to guarantee a smooth transition," said the statement.

After guiding China's all-conquering men's squad and then the entire national program since 2003, Liu was removed from his head coach position in June 2017 amid speculation over his involvement in then women's coach Kong Linghui's discipline violation over a gambling debt.

Kong was also Liu's former doubles partner.