The Federation has swelled to 220 member associations with these two new introductions, following their acceptance at the ITTF Annual General Meeting in Tokyo on April 30.

It puts the ITTF equal with the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) as the world's leading sport in terms of member countries.

"The ITTF membership has been increased from 180 to 220 in 15 years which is an obvious result of the successful ITTF Development Programme started in 1999," said ITTF chief executive, Judit Farago.

"It makes us proud and happy that table tennis is played and has an established administration structure in almost every corner of the world.

"The fact that the number puts us equal with the FIVB in terms of membership among all International Federations is a bonus and a boost in our long-term objective to be in the top five sports in the Olympic movement."

The ITTF Development Programme began in Oceania in 1999 and looked to "actively promote table tennis across the globe by creating a structured, sequential and progressive pyramid development and competition structure for athletes, coaches, administrators, and match officials, from beginner level to Olympic Games".

It provides coaching education, training camps and funding support for many of its members at it looks to make table tennis accessible for everyone across the world.

The ITTF Development Programme has seen the number of National Associations increase from 180 to 220 since 1999 and hopes to bring the sport to every corner of the globe ©National Geographic/Getty Images



ITTF deputy chief executive, Glenn Tepper, who initiated the ITTF Development Programme, added: "When I started the ITTF Development Programme as a pilot project in Oceania in 1999, we had 180 members.

"One of the challenges given to me was to have table tennis played in every corner of the globe.

"Since that time we have progressively added several new members each year in a sustainable way providing technical and equipment assistance to all new members.

"We are now very close to our initial aim.

"We already have contact with the five remaining countries and I am confident that by the time of the Opening Ceremony at the Rio Olympic Games that table tennis will be played in every corner of the globe and that every country participating in Rio will have an active table tennis programme."

The Programme had a budget of just $30,000 (£17,826/€21,886) when it kick-started in 1999 and was run by just one staff member.

Now, the Programme is run by 10 full-time and 100 part-time staff providing more than 100 courses and 30 equipment packages annually and with a budget of over $1 million (£580,000/€730,000).

Just five associations that have a National Olympic Committee are not currently an ITTF National Association: Guinea Bisseau, Cape Verde, Sao Tome & Principe, Eritrea and the Bahamas.

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