Top News

Expelled basketball star Wang makes humble return

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-04-10 16:24

China's diving prince Tian Liang is expelled from the national team for "violating the team's disciplines manytimes". [Xinhua]

The center's return follows several meetings with CBA vice-president Li Yuanwei in the United States in February after he was dumped from the NBA's Miami Heat team prior to the current season.

Whereas Yao Ming's NBA career with the Houston Rockets has prospered and makes daily headlines in local media, there has been a virtual blanket ban on coverage of Wang's relatively unsuccessful stint in the world's top league -- until today.

His return to the national team has not been confirmed, but the CBA stated that the ball was firmly in Wang's court.

"Whether he plays for the national team again will depend on his capability, mental and physical conditions," the CBA said.

Chinese sporting authorities take a dim view of athletes shirking national duty, having black-listed a number of problem stars, including Olympic champion diver Tian Liang.

However, recent media reports have said that China would reach out to national athletes it had cast off in order to field the strongest possible team for the 2008 Beijing Games.

Wang's return follows China's recent reconciliation with promising tennis player Peng Shuai, who had complained of being stifled by national duties.