not sure if this is old or not so lock it if needed Special to PA SportsTicker BEIJING (Ticker) - China has denied that the foot injury which threatens Yao Ming’s participation in the Beijing Olympics is a result of his overuse by the Houston Rockets. The China captain faces a race to be fit for the Games in August after being ruled out for at least four months with a stress fracture of his left foot. Chinese Basketball Association’s (CBA) deputy director Hu Jiashi insisted though the Rockets should not be blamed for the injury. “Yao Ming is the absolute principal player of the Rockets, playing longer in games is normal,” he said. “Sport injury is an accumulated process. Injury is unavoidable in any competitive sport. We will take the prevention of injury and disease as a priority in training sessions in the future.” ADVERTISEMENT The 7-6 center had been playing with pain in his foot since the All-Star break, with the team believing it was just a sprain. But Yao underwent an MRI and CT scan on Monday at Houston’s Memorial Hermann Hospital which revealed the full extent of the problem. The 27-year-old will now seek the quickest possible method for recovery and is considering an operation to insert screws into his foot. Yao insists he will do all he can to regain fitness in time for the Games, but China’s Lithuanian coach Jonas Kazlauskas admits the team will have to be prepared to play without their star player. “First, all officials, coaches and players should face the reality and take measures against the difficulties with a positive attitude,” Kazlauskas said. “Second we will work out the suitable plan based on the condition of Yao Ming’s injury. We have practiced two sets of tactics for two years - when the team plays with Yao and when they play without him. Now we will put the emphasis on the play-without-Yao tactics.” Yao will definitely miss out on the Chinese basketball team’s training session that begins on March 8 and includes a three-game series against Memphis State. Men’s team manager Bai Xilin claimed the news of the injury came as a major shock. “When we heard about Yao’s injury, we felt shocked and concerned just like all the basketball fans in China,” he said. “We can totally understand how he feels right now and we hope he’ll remain positive and optimistic while receiving treatment.” It is possible to treat the injury without an operation and Yao will seek further advice before deciding in the next week or so which course of action to take. “We’re still looking for a second opinion,” Yao said. “I may fly and see another doctor in the next couple of days. I’m looking for a fast way, a shortcut.” Yao admitted he would be devastated if injury should prevent him from competing in the Olympics in his homeland. “If I cannot play in the Olympics for my country, that would be the biggest blow of my career,” he said. “I don’t want to know how disappointed the people in China would be. “I’ll do the best I can to come back, get stronger, protect myself. Some of my injuries, I don’t know why they happen. I’m not a lucky guy.” Rockets team doctor Thomas Clanton claimed the injury was the result of a heavy workload, but does not believe it will cost Yao the chance to participate in the Games. “I don’t know that I want words put in my mouth that he’s going to miss the Olympics. That’s certainly not my expectation,” said Clanton. “I don’t know that I can tell you specifically when he will play basketball again. He will not be back playing basketball again this season.” http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AjqTWxuG.e1MSqXbwiMDC4S8vLYF?slug=txyaochina&prov=st&type=lgns
Have we extended the warranty period? Seems Yao did not play for CNT last Summer while enjoying a honeymoon in Europe. That means Yao has not played for CNT for almost two years. What more do we expect then?
both sides are polite. It's yao who wants to play in olympics. Everybody knows that The CNT with yao can't go anywhere near the gold.
any international basketball player is facing this problem. As a rockets fan, I hope he was an American (cause he will be playing less time)
How funny is all of this BS drama. He has almost 6 months to heal from an injury that takes 4 months to heal. Big deal. DD
The writer is implying an 'absolves' tone, none of the actual quotes do. It's making something out of nothing.
