CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 19 SPORTS Rising to the challenge BASKETBALL CBA appeals fine for Asia Cup absence Team China’s pandemic­enforced tion caught us off guard.” The CBA is now in discussions withdrawal prompts legal wrangle with FIBA regarding possible future dates for the Asia Cup qualifiers, according to Xu. By SUN XIAOCHEN The CBA’s decision to skip “Yet, it’s out of our hands as it [email protected] November’s qualifying tournament involves over 10 member associa- was made with the health of the tions, which means FIBA has to take The Chinese Basketball Associa- players and team staff as a top prior- time to comprehensively coordinate tion is appealing a fine imposed by ity at a time when the COVID-19 relevant parties before making any the sport’s global governing body, pandemic still posed a serious risk, decisions,” she added. FIBA, over the national team’s coro- said Xu. Meanwhile, the CBA also con- navirus-enforced no-show for Asia Also citing health and safety con- firmed on Monday that some of the Cup qualifiers in November. cerns, Canada’s national basketball players from the now-defunct mili- The CBA confirmed the move on association has lodged an appeal tary team, the Bayi Rockets, have Monday at a regular media briefing, against a FIBA fine for the same re-registered with the league as free but gave no further details regard- amount for pulling out of two Amer- agents. ing the process, which was launched iCup 2022 qualifying games, sched- The eight-time CBA champion earlier this month following consul- uled for the Dominican Republic in Rockets disbanded in October as tations with a legal team, according November. part of the People’s Liberation to the association’s foreign affairs With the third leg of the Asia Cup Army’s decision to reform its mili- department. qualifiers originally slated for Feb tary sports training system after 25 “After analyzing the situation 17-23, the CBA had named a 14-play- years of service in the top-tier meticulously, we have filed an offi- er squad following the conclusion of league. cial appeal against the penalty and the domestic league’s second stage The team’s withdrawal had raised have hired an attorney to handle the in early February. It had also drawn concerns over the future of players ensuing legal procedures,” said Xu up a meticulous travel plan to be on that team, who faced difficulties Lan, director of the CBA’s national ready to make the trip to Qatar for in transferring to other clubs team management and foreign the competition. because they were enlisted in the affairs department. However, on Feb 11, FIBA abrupt- army. In January, FIBA’s disciplinary ly postponed those games over COV- By Saturday, however, 11 former panel sanctioned a number of its ID-19 concerns. Rockets players had registered as member associations, including Having spent a week training free agents and are now eligible to China, for non-participation in the through the Spring Festival break at sign with other teams ahead of the second leg of its 2021 Asia Cup quali- a closed-door camp in Shanghai, the league’s third phase, according to fiers, scheduled for November in players were released to return the CBA. Qatar. home on Feb 12, the first day of Chi- Former national team training The CBA was fined 160,000 Swiss na’s Lunar New Year, affording them camp member Zou Yuchen and francs ($178,624), with Team China time to recuperate for the third youth national squad center Fu Hao deducted two Group B points. Half phase of the CBA league, which tips are expected to attract the most of the sanction was deferred pend- off on March 1. interest from clubs. ing China’s participation in the next “Our players were ready to show “It’s important that we made sure official FIBA competition. their commitment to their national these players could stay in the top China’s Group B opponents are duty and we had prepared well league and have games to play in the Malaysia, Japan and Chinese Taipei, logistically for making the trip to prime of their careers,” said Zhang Cristiano Ronaldo leaps into action to score Juventus’ second goal in a 3­0 victory over Crotone at with the top two teams qualifying Qatar on a charter flight during the Chi, a CBA spokesman and head of Allianz Stadium in Turin on Monday. Ronaldo finished with a brace as defending champion Juve for the Asia Cup in Indonesia in pandemic,” said Xu. the league’s player development closed to within eight points of Serie A leader Inter Milan. REUTERS August. “However, the sudden cancela- department. Digest WINTER SPORTS “From my perspective the most goals in 30 games for the top-flight statement with a parenthetical season and for free agency after the dev rose to a career-best No 3 Morgenstern expects important thing is self-confidence,” Red Diamonds last term. “based on his contract”. 2024 season. behind winner Novak Djokovic on hotly contested worlds the 34-year-old added. “When you Earlier this month, Shandong suf- Pujols’ 10-year, $240 million con- The length of his contract exceed- the ATP list. beat rivals, you feel better and bet- fered a major blow ahead of the new tract with the Angels ends after this ed the $325 million, 13-year agree- Jennifer Brady, the 25-year-old Austrian ski jumping legend ter. The more you compete at the season when it was thrown of the season, his 21st in the majors. But ment in November 2014 between American who was the runner-up to Thomas Morgenstern said Monday highest level, the better you jump. AFC Champions League for breach- the fifth-leading home-run hitter in Miami and Giancarlo Stanton, who Osaka, jumped 11 spots to No 13, her that it’s “really difficult to say who is “Of course, there are also many ing the Asian Football Confedera- major-league history has repeatedly was traded to the New York Yankees first time inside the top 20. favorite” for gold at the 2021 Nordic factors which can be decisive, but tion’s financial regulations. declined to say whether this season in December 2017, and the $330 mil- Aslan Karatsev’s historic run from World Ski Championships and the for me, self-confidence was really will be his last. lion, 13-year contract ahead of the qualifying to the final four before Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. important.” BASEBALL 2019 season between Bruce Harper losing to nine-time Australian Open The Nordic worlds began on Mon- and Philadelphia. champion Djokovic allowed the day in Oberstdorf, Germany, and Wife suggests Pujol to Tatis inks longest deal SOCCER retire at end of season in major-league history Baseball’s biggest deal by dollars Russian to vault 72 places from Morgenstern said: “I see many can- Striker Leonardo joins remains Mike Trout’s $426.5 million, 114th to 42nd. didates (for gold). On the large hill, Albert Pujols’ wife apparently dis- Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 12-year contract signed with the Karatsev is the first man in the it may be (Halvor Egner) Granerud CSL side Shandong closed that the Los Angeles Angels 14-year contract was finalized Mon- Angels in March 2019. Tatis’ deal is professional era to reach the semifi- (of Norway) who will win, but on the Brazilian striker Leonardo has slugger will retire after the upcom- day by the San Diego Padres, the the third-largest, also trailing Mook- nals in his debut in the main draw of normal hill, Poland’s Dawid Kubacki signed for Chinese Super League ing season, although she later longest deal in MLB history. ie Betts’ $365 million, 12-year con- a major tournament. has a great chance. side Shandong Taishan, the club amended her social media post to be “Fernando is a special talent who tract with the Los Angeles Dodgers Despite winning the past two “He stood on the highest podium announced on Monday. less definitive. will be instrumental in bringing a that starts this season. Grand Slam tournament she in 2009 so from my point of view he Having left Japan’s Urawa Red The 41-year-old Pujols, a three- world championship to the city of entered, Osaka still trails No 1 Ash is a favorite to win again. Poland’s Diamonds, the 23-year-old forward time MVP and ten-time All-Star, San Diego,” Padres general manager TENNIS Barty — who lost in the quarterfi- Kamil Stoch can also fight against has arrived in China and will join reported to spring training with the AJ Preller said in a statement. Osaka falls short of top nals at Melbourne Park — because of Granerud for the titles.” his new team after completing his Angels on Monday. “Throughout the process, Fernan- the way the tennis tours are calcu- Morgenstern knows what it takes mandatory medical quarantine in In a post on her Instagram do’s desire to stay here long term spot despite Aussie win lating what they’re calling “frozen” to become Olympic champion, hav- compliance with coronavirus account later in the day, Deidre was clear, and we are thrilled that Naomi Osaka’s victory at the rankings following last season’s ing won two titles at the 2006 Turin protocols. Pujols wrote: “Today is the first day we were able to come to an Australian Open moved the Japa- hiatus caused by the coronavirus Games, as well as team gold in 2010 After finishing as top scorer in of the last season of one of the most agreement.” nese superstar up one spot to No 2 pandemic.