The ITTF Executive Committee reinstated Al-Mohannadi as Deputy President in March after he was removed from the post by Weikert the previous month.

The move from the ITTF Executive Committee was announced in a press release, which declared Weikert had lost their "trust, confidence and support".

Weikert had defended his decision to remove Al-Mohannadi from the position.

The German official said "agreement on strategic goals and mutual trust are the prerequisites for effective cooperation between President and deputy", but declared the "unity no longer existed, and that led to my decision."

Weikert also cited allegations made by Swiss Table Tennis, which accused Al-Mohannadi of having misled the organisation and suggested he should not have been able to run for an ITTF vice-president role because of links to an equipment provider.

Al-Mohannadi has dismissed these claims and his legal representatives have written to Weikert demanding an apology over what they claim are "baseless" allegations against the Qatari official.

A statement from the ITTF Presidential office said that the body's Independent Tribunal had ruled on the removal of Al-Mohannadi on April 26.

Weikert told national associations that the ITTF Tribunal had dismissed the case, for both the claimant and the defendants, based on a Swiss Law technicality.

The German official said the dismissal from the Tribunal, chaired by Jorge Ibarrola, came because he had named the Executive Committee members individually rather than making the claim against the Executive Committee as the ITTF body. 

Weikert said the Tribunal had confirmed he he had "acted according to my rights as the ITTF President as provided for in the ITTF’s Constitution".

He claimed the Tribunal highlighted that the Executive Committee had taken a decision which "falls under the exclusive authority of the ITTF President - the appointment or replacement of the ITTF Deputy President", according to Weikert.

Weikert defended his decision to challenge the ITTF Executive Committee at the Tribunal, before confirming his intention to press ahead with appointing a new Deputy President.

"I would like to point out that I never intended to start a lawsuit against the Executive Committee, I submitted a claim to the Tribunal regarding the decision of the Executive Committee to have confirmed my rights as President under the ITTF Constitution," Weikert wrote in the letter, seen by insidethegames.

"As now confirmed by the ITTF Tribunal, the Executive Committee did not have the right to reverse my decision.

"Hence, Mr. Khalil Al-Mohannadi was revoked from his position as ITTF Deputy President effective 23rd February 2021.

"I will exercise my constitutional right to appoint a Deputy President (article 1.5.4.4.2) after consultation with my colleagues."

The dispute within the ITTF comes in the build-up to the governing body’s Presidential election later this year, with Weikert seeking a second term in office.

The incumbent has faced criticism for his decision to seek re-election after vowing he would only serve a single four-year term.

Weikert has said he was encouraged to stand for re-election by some of the ITTF's National Associations.

Al-Mohannadi and executive vice-president for finance Petra Sörling had highlighted the issue in a joint letter criticising Weikert last May.

The ITTF officials had questioned his ability to run the ITTF and expressed their desire to see a new President elected in 2021.

Sörling earlier this month announced her intention to stand for the ITTF Presidency, with the Swedish Table Tennis Association chair vowing to unite the governing body.

A possible bid for the ITTF Presidency has been mooted for Al-Mohannadi, with the Qatari official having stood in the 2017 election before withdrawing to support Weikert.

The ITTF Presidential election is scheduled to take place at the organisation's Annual General Meeting, which will be held on September 18.

insidethegames has contacted Al-Mohannadi for comment.