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Yao Ming vows to support China players after online abuse

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Former Chinese basketball player Yao Ming looks on during the 2022 FIBA Women" s="" Basketball="" World="" Cup="" match="" between="" China="" and="" Belgium="" in="" this="" September="" file="" photo.="" James="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/11/24/yao-ming-epa-11242023.jpg"/><figcaption>Former Chinese basketball player Yao Ming looks on during the 2022 FIBA Women&#x27;s Basketball World Cup match between China and Belgium in this September 2022 file photo. James Gourley, EPA-EFE</figcaption></figure></div> BEIJING -- Chinese basketball great Yao Ming says that criticism of the men&#x27;s national team has gone too far after some players were abused online following a series of disappointing results.Basketball is hugely popular in China, but the team has consistently failed to live up to high expectations, with the latest letdown a loss to the Philippines in the semi-finals of the Asian Games on home soil last month.China beat Taiwan to win bronze but the campaign was regarded as a failure and came weeks after they finished 29th of 32 teams at the World Cup, missing out on next year&#x27;s Paris Olympics.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/02/23/gilas-saves-best-for-last-crushes-china-to-close-world-cup-campaign">FIBA: Gilas saves best for last, crushes China to close World Cup campaign</a></li></ul>Fan anger has failed to dissipate, and national players have been targeted online in recent weeks, including Zhang Zhenlin of Liaoning Flying Leopards.&quot;Here I represent the association to make a statement,&quot; Yao, an eight-time NBA All-Star and now president of the Chinese Basketball Association, said Thursday at a Chinese basketball Hall of Fame event in Beijing.&quot;No matter if we play well or badly on the basketball court, we will face up to the result,&quot; state media quoted him as saying.&quot;Some criticism on technique and tactics is welcome, but some things have gone beyond basketball and we don&#x27;t agree with that.&quot;We will always support our players to defend their rights and interests, and in this regard (online abuse), we will provide all the necessary support.&quot;Following the 77-76 defeat to the Philippines -- who went on to win Asian Games gold in Hangzhou -- fed-up Chinese fans piled in online to berate and mock their team.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/04/23/gilas-rallies-past-china-progresses-to-gold-medal-game">Brownlee plays hero anew as Gilas stuns China, progresses to gold medal game</a></li></ul>&quot;Watching you play basketball is a form of pain, isn&#x27;t it?&quot; one popular meme asked.The 43-year-old Yao had labelled the China players &quot;slackers&quot; and warned there was a &quot;huge gap&quot; between them and the world&#x27;s best teams.<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Chinese basketball great Yao Ming says that criticism of the men's national team has gone too far after some players were abused online following a series of disappointing results.