Kong, winner of the men's doubles gold medal at Atlanta 1996 and the singles title at Sydney 2000, was here as head coach of the Chinese women's team.

According to a court case filed in Hong Kong, the 41-year-old signed an agreement in February 2015 to borrow S$1 million (£561,000/$721,000/€647,000) from the Marina Bay Sands hotel to establish him as a "premium player".

He had supposedly since repaid only S$545,625 (£306,000/$393,000/€352,000).

Gambling is officially illegal under Chinese law.

"The Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) has contacted Kong Linghui to understand the situation immediately after being informed by the media regarding the lawsuit against Kong Linghui," the national governing body wrote in a statement.

"Based on Kong’s response and recall of the incident, the CTTA thinks that it has seriously violated the public servant’s regulations and disciplinary requirements. 

"As such, the CTTA has decided to suspend Kong Linghui’s duties as the head coach of the Chinese National Women’s Team, to reflect on his actions, and to return to China for further investigation."

Kong, also an eight-time world champion, claims to have only learned of the debt today after visiting Singapore for "four days" with his family at the time of the alleged loan.

He would have been expected to be in the corner for China's leading players for key matches during the World Championships.

Li Sun, another longstanding coach of the Chinese women's team, will now take over his responsibilities, while head men's coach Liu Guoliang - Kong's doubles partner who also won the men's singles at Atlanta 1996 - will also play a closer role.

"It is only until today after media reports have exposed the incident that I have learned someone had left some debt unsettled with the casino," Kong said in a statement posted on social media site Sina Weibo.

"I am being dragged into the lawsuit, I have immediately requested the indebted to show up and clarify the facts.

"As we are in the middle of the World Table Tennis Championships, this incident has caused negative effect on the [national] team, which I feel deeply disturbed."

The CTTA added that the case will be "dealt with severely according to the relevant code of regulations".

"The CTTA takes a firm stand against athletes, coaches and staff being involved in activities that violates social ethics, and will further investigate into Kong Linghui’s case," they said.

"This case will serve as a severe warning and lesson to strengthen the management, education and nurture of athletes and coaches to establish a positive mentality and moral image of the national team."

China are hoping to repeat their clean sweep of men's and women's singles and doubles titles at the World Championships which started here yesterday.

The absence of Kong could damage their female chances, though, particularly after Japanese teenager Miu Hirano stunned three of their leading stars to win the Asian singles title in Wuxi last month.