China’s most famous basketball player, aged 44, deplores the lack of results from his country’s selection.
Chinese NBA legend Yao Ming has resigned from his post as president of the National Basketball Federation (CBA), the body announced on Thursday, with the former player deploring the level of performance of the selection.
“The executive committee met (Thursday) in Beijing to review and approve Yao Ming’s resignation request (…) and elect Guo Zhenming as the new president”announced the CBA in a press release.
“We hope that Yao Ming (…) will continue to actively contribute to the development of basketball”specified the body, including “executive members respect and understand personal decision” of the star pivot of the Houston Rockets in the 2000s.
The biggest star in the history of Chinese basketball deplores “the results of the national selection which unfortunately did not meet expectations”.
According to the press release, China’s most famous basketball player, aged 44, has made the decision to resign “based on considerations related to the development of Chinese basketball” and to devote himself to “personal projects”.
In a statement to the official Xinhua agency, the biggest star in the history of Chinese basketball for his part deplored “the results of the national selection which unfortunately did not meet expectations”.
Last year, Yao Ming said that he “would take responsibility” after China’s non-qualification for the 2024 Olympics.
“Sincere gratitude”
“Basketball is an area that I have always loved whether in the past, present or future”however, underlined Thursday Yao Ming, quoted in the CBA press release.
“I hope everyone will continue to support Chinese basketball like me”continued the former player turned business mogul and cultural ambassador.
According to the CBA, the National Sports Administration, the government body in charge of sports policy in China, has expressed “his sincere gratitude” to Yao for his work.
2024-10-31 15:07:00