International Table Tennis Federation accept São Tomé and Príncipe and South Sudan as latest members

Even greater number of players should be able to take up table tennis after the acceptence of two new members ©ITTF

São Tomé and Príncipe and South Sudan have today been confirmed as the 221st and 222nd members of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), to make the body the largest International Federation.

The two African nations were accepted at today's ITTF Annual General Meeting in Suzhou held during the ongoing World Championships in the Chinese city.

São Tomé and Príncipe has competed at the last five Summer Olympic Games, but has only managed to send athletes in the two sports of athletics and canoe sprint, while South Sudan is the world's newest nation, having only gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

The announcement is a major boost to South Sudan's aim of being recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), something which, insidethegames has been told, could happen later this year if the minimum recognition from five International Federations is secured.

If South Sudan is not IOC-recognised by RIo 2016, it is now possible table tennis players could compete at the Games under the Olympic flag rather than a national one.

The decision also illustrates the success of the ITTF's Development Programme, which, since being set up in 1999, has helped engineer the creation of 42 new National Associations.

“As the ITTF President I am very proud that ITTF has achieved the number one status in terms of membership as our goal is not just to be among the top five sports overall, but also within each area," said the body's head, Thomas Weikert.

"This is then another milestone on the path to achieve this."

The ITTF has led the way in accepting new members, such as Kosovo, visited by IOC President Thomas Bach this month, which became an ITTF member in 2003 ©Kosovo Table Tennis Federation

Equipment and the training of both coaches and players are provided by the programme, which helps to foster growth in a "sustainable" way.

Only four more IOC-recognised countries - Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and Bahamas - remain yet to be ITTF members, with Olympic Committees of these remaining nation's having already been contacted.

The news came as main draw action began in both singles competitions at the World Championships, with the top four ranked quartet of Chinese stars - top seed Ma Long, defending world and Olympic champion Zhang Jike, teenage superstar Fang Zhendong and second seed Xin Xu all easing through.

There was similarly comfortable success for the top seeds in the women's event, with top seed Ding Ning and second ranked Liu Shiwen both progressing comfortably.

But there was a shock in the doubles, as defending champions Chuang Chih-Yuan and Chen Chien-An pf Taiwan lost to France's 24th seeded pairing, Simon Gauzy and Emmanuel Lebesson 4-0 in the second round.

And in the most eagerly anticipated match of the day, Zhang Jike and Xu Xin of China got the better of fellow countryman Ma Long and his German partner Timo Boll, 4-2 in a thoroughly entertaining clash.