FIBA's Std Letter of Clearance Enforces Rights of National Teams

If I were China, I wouldn't be worried about the Rockets not letting him return to the National Team, but of them discouraging him from going. Obviously, we can't tell Yao to not go. But, we could tell him we think he needs to rest during the offseason, he'll wear his body out, etc. The Mavericks were, for a time, putting pressure on Steve Nash to not play for Canada because they were concerned about him playing too much nonstop basketball. One day, they abruptly changed course on that; I don't know why.

Point is, I think the Chinese should be concerned with what Yao decides to do with his own self (so to speak). And, I'd want to do what I could to make sure the Rockets weren't persuading him to do something I (the Chinese) won't like. This would go above and beyond the FIBA Letter of Clearance.

 

It seems to me though, that the CBA wants us (whether it be the Rox or the NBA as HeyP says) to guarantee that Ming makes himself available to the CBA and any competitions they need him for...they dont seem to be asking us (Rox/NBA) to allow him to be available.

How can the NBA, the Rockets or anyone else but Yao Ming guarantee such a thing?

 

HeyP:
With the hands-off approach NBA takes, it wouldn't suprise me if CBA wants "bird in hand" with Rockets now. Why would Chinese ask for another statement if it's all in the FIBA letter anyway? You think they never read the FIBA agreement before?

 

Good post HP, let's hope that is all the CBA is asking for.....I think the deal will get done, but I am not too familiar with all the postering that the Chinese government is famous for.

DaDakota

 

Man, I certainly hope that was a misquote. After this soccor WC, my confidence in SINA news are sapping. But this is not likely. It's a simple quote anyhow. I even would rather believe that guy never really understands FIBA agreement, some of these officialls are simply stupid enough.

But I don't agree any agreement beside FIBA stipulation is un-enforcable.
</quote >
2. The player should be available </b>at least </b> for the duration of the competition or for each individual competition day, as well as for a preparation time of:
a) 72 hours for qualifying games.
b) 14 days for a tournament in a main official competition.

</quote>
It says at least. If rockets agrees to more, I don't see why it's not enforcable.

Let just hope Rocket is having their standard statement ready by now, and that CBA guy will have enough to boast to his wife already.

 

whatever Dallas, China, FIBA, CBA, his team and whomever else did in concern to Wang Zhi Zhi's agreement is what we do here... Just call Mark Cuban and ask him to run a copy of his initial agreement.

This is not new ground that is being broken, even though Yao is a better player than Wang.

 

This was posted by Windandsea in another thread but it applies here too...looks to me that it is pretty clear that they want something in writing. Why on earth would they want that if it was already covered by FIBA laws?


BEIJING (Reuters) - China want written assurances that the NBA club selecting hot prospect Yao Ming at this week's draft guarantee the giant center can play for his national team, state media said Monday.


"We hope that NBA teams selecting Chinese players can guarantee they are physically and mentally fit and have the right to serve the Chinese national team," Chinese Basketball Association Secretary Xin Lancheng told the official Xinhua news agency in an interview.

"This guarantee must be in official written form."

Xin's statement was the latest in a series of mixed signals from Chinese basketball authorities and Yao's representatives in the run-up to Wednesday's draft in New York, where the Houston Rockets could make him the top pick.

It also comes amid confusion over whether Dallas Mavericks center Wang Zhizhi, the first Chinese player in the NBA, will return to play with the national team this summer or remain in Los Angeles for the NBA's summer practice league.

Saturday, agents and representatives of the 2.23-meter Yao said they had reached a deal in principle to compensate his current club the Shanghai Sharks for his release to an NBA team.

But a day earlier, the CBA announced Yao would miss Wednesday's draft to train with the national team for international competition lasting into October, prompting fears that his move to the United States would be protracted.

The NBA regular season kicks off in early November.

Houston Rockets officials and coaches visited Shanghai last week to discuss Yao's future with Sharks and CBA officials.

Xin described meetings with the Rockets as productive but said the two sides had not reached a written agreement on Yao playing for China and had not been in contact in recent days.

Negotiations between NBA clubs and Chinese players notoriously drag. Wang, a Chinese army officer, was picked by Dallas in the second round of the 1999 NBA draft but did not make his league debut until late in the 2000-2001 season.

 

Don't get carried away with FIBA's power. Neither FIBA nor anyone else can force a player to play for his National Team. I even doubt China could do it. If Steve Nash told the Canadians, "I can't play for you in the Championships; I've got too many injuries to rehab," do you genuinely think FIBA can say, "Tough! You have to play!" The real question, I suppose, is what sort of punishment can FIBA level against a player? Can they fine him? Blacklist him? Break his kneecaps?

Persuading Yao may also be against FIBA rules, though I don't see it explicitly here. That may be why Dallas had suddenly changed their attitude regarding Steve Nash (maybe they got a warning).

As for the two letters to Wang asking for his return, they are not some BBS rumor. It is being reported by many reputable, mainstream news outlets in the States and abroad -- not to mention referred to by Mavericks brass. If you think the letters were never sent, or were sent by unauthorized personnel, you're the one listening to too many conspiracy theories. If China genuinely wanted Wang to stay in the States, wouldn't they have said so publically, considering what an embarassment it is for them that it is publically perceived that Wang is semi-defecting? (See the Wang thread for a full rant on that subject.)

(P.S. Don't waste too much breath arguing with me. I'm not one of the ones hysterical over unreasonable demands from the Chinese -- your apparent target audience. I'm already convinced that the Chinese are being cooperative and that there should be no problems with the draft. I just posted to say there might be some things they may want the Rockets to do which are above and beyond the call of FIBA and yet still perfectly reasonable and, really, common courtesy.)

 

I disagree. If Rockets plan to trade Yao Ming, it can easily make sure the receiving team will be bind by the Rockets agreement with CBA. I expect that CBA will ask Rockets to sign a transferable agreement. This could take time.

 

You have a naive entity (CBA), naive representation (Zhang, etc..), mutual confusion on the finer points of the CBA, and you expect clarity on the issue to ensue?

It doesn't matter any way. Just draft up a faux-document to appease them. I know just the man for the job.....

 

All I got to sya is Dallas signed a "special" agreement besides FIBA. But again, #1 isn't second-rounder.

michecon

 

Yes as a matter of fact I do. With the potential trade offers there are out there and with all the stock we are puting in Yao, yes, I expect full clarity before we make our decision. And I don't think it's asking too much.

 

HeyP,

I definitely respect your views/opinions as most people on here do, hence, I certainly hope you are right with this one. This baggage that Ming has is really scaring the hell out of me.