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.