Last Updated: November 24, 2023, 10:39 IST
Chinese basketball nice Yao Ming says that criticism of the boys’s nationwide workforce has gone too far after some gamers had been abused on-line following a collection of disappointing outcomes.
Basketball is massively well-liked in China, however the workforce has constantly failed to reside up to excessive expectations, with the most recent letdown a loss to the Philippines within the semi-finals of the Asian Games on house soil final month.
Chinese basketball nice Yao Ming says that criticism of the boys’s nationwide workforce has gone too far after some gamers had been abused on-line following a collection of disappointing outcomes.
Basketball is massively well-liked in China, however the workforce has constantly failed to reside up to excessive expectations, with the most recent letdown a loss to the Philippines within the semi-finals of the Asian Games on house soil final month.
China beat Taiwan to win bronze however the marketing campaign was considered a failure and got here weeks after they completed twenty ninth of 32 groups on the World Cup, lacking out on subsequent yr’s Paris Olympics.
Fan anger has failed to dissipate, and nationwide gamers have been focused on-line in latest weeks, together with Zhang Zhenlin of Liaoning Flying Leopards.
“Here I represent the association to make a statement,” Yao, an eight-time NBA All-Star and now president of the Chinese Basketball Association, stated Thursday at a Chinese basketball Hall of Fame occasion in Beijing.
“No matter if we play well or badly on the basketball court, we will face up to the result,” state media quoted him as saying.
“Some criticism on technique and tactics is welcome, but some things have gone beyond basketball and we don’t agree with that.
“We will always support our players to defend their rights and interests, and in this regard (online abuse), we will provide all the necessary support.”
Following the 77-76 defeat to the Philippines — who went on to win Asian Games gold in Hangzhou — fed-up Chinese followers piled in on-line to berate and mock their workforce.
“Watching you play basketball is a form of pain, isn’t it?” one well-liked meme requested.
The 43-yr-previous Yao had labelled the China gamers “slackers” and warned there was a “huge gap” between them and the world’s finest groups.
