Following the postponement of Tokyo 2020, International Federations were advised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on how to update their qualification system for the Games. 

A survey was then sent out to international table tennis players, prompting nearly 200 responses. 

The results were analysed by the ITTF Athletes Commission and ITTF competition department.

They were also presented to the ITTF Executive Committee, which received progress reports during meetings held in April and May. 

The proposed revised qualification system was approved unanimously at the ITTF Executive Committee meeting on June 4, before it was confirmed by the IOC. 

Continental qualification events, originally scheduled to take place no later than April of this year, now have to take place no later than April 30 2021.

Continental events in Asia, Europe, South America and Oceania were postponed and will be rescheduled accordingly. 

The world singles qualification event is now set to take place no later than 31 May 2021, with exact dates due to be allocated after other major events are scheduled or rescheduled in 2021.

One mixed doubles quota, originally allocated to this year's cancelled Japan Open, will be allocated to an equivalent event in 2020 or a World Table Tennis event in 2021. 

Unused mixed doubles quotas from the 2019 World Tour Grand Finals and 2020 World Tour events are due to be reallocated by the Olympic qualification ranking list, published the month after the last qualification tournament takes place.

Host quotas originally allocated to the rankings of June 2020 are set to be reallocated to the Olympic qualification ranking in June 2021.

Tokyo 2020 is now scheduled for July 23 to August 8 in 2021. 

It was postponed in March as the coronavirus pandemic worsened across the world. 

ITTF events are currently suspended until the end of August due to the global health crisis.