One more good news about Yao on the ESPN HOUSTON -- Yao Ming is closer to joining the Houston Rockets after receiving his visa from the Chinese government and signing allegiance to his country's basketball association. Now that the document from the China Basketball Association has been signed, Yao just needs to obtain final clearance from FIBA -- the international governing body of the sport -- to travel to the Rockets' camp, his agent told Houston station KRIV-TV on Wednesday. "This is one of the things the CBA needed to issue its clearance to FIBA stating Yao is no longer under contractual obligation to any Chinese team, and is free to sign with the NBA,'' agent Erik Zhang said. Signing allegiance to the CBA allows China to bring back its 7-foot-5 star for international tournaments. Zhang said Yao has a visa given to Chinese citizens with special talents. Yao, the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, had 23 points and 22 rebounds in the Asian Games championship, but South Korea won the gold medal by defeating China 102-100 in overtime. The Rockets play five exhibitions before opening the regular season Oct. 30 at Indiana.
<i>"This is one of the things the CBA needed to issue its clearance to FIBA stating Yao is no longer under contractual obligation to any Chinese team, and is free to sign with the NBA,'' agent Erik Zhang said. Signing allegiance to the CBA allows China to bring back its 7-foot-5 star for international tournaments. </i> That should answer the question of the people worried about whether or not Ming would be pulled from the Rockets during the regular season or playoffs just to play a game in China. That obligation is only for international torunaments thankfully.
Anyone know how often these International tournaments are held? Would hate to have Ming miss camp every year.
What it sounds like is he's gotten a visa from China that will allow him to leave the country. Has he gotten a visa from the USA to enter the country?
That's the part that was exceedingly strange in these articles. There are no exit visas required for China. The only visa he was applying for was the visa to enter the United States, since he obviously already held a Chinese passport. The reporters are confused, and so now they're confusing us.
Thanks heech. I thought the reporters might be confused but was giving them the benefit of the doubt. I don't think people are always very aware that you need a visa to enter the US. I didn't know whether or not you'd need one to leave China.
I'm guessing that they heard the CBA release was granted and, being confused, called it a "visa." But so far I haven't seen any other articles to clarify this. Anyone else hear anything on the release?
