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CHINA BASKETBALL CHIEF, YAO MING TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS TO NIGERIA

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Chinese Basketball Association president Yao Ming said he would take all the responsibility for China’s poor performance in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

“Me!”

Yao said immediately after he was asked by a reporter who will be the one responsible for China’s performance.

China lost to Nigeria 86-73 to finish second in Group N with two wins and three losses, failing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics directly from the World Cup.

“It is me who disappoint the fans,” Yao said. “The fans had great expectation for China at the World Cup, but we could not make it,” the 39-year-old added.

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Yao took charge of the Chinese Basketball Association in 2017.

He carried out reforming measures on professional league and youth academy.

“This (World Cup) is a window for us to look out the world. The gap between China and the world leading basketball countries has been enlarged.

“We have determination to keep our reform on, including professional league, youth academy and sports education,” Yao said.

Xinhua

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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