China has always been suspected of doctoring the ages of their players to enable them to qualify for the international youth basketball tournaments of FIBA.
While nobody officially questioned the ages of some of its players there were often indications of shennanigans in this regard.
An article by Arthur Volbert in the Asia Basket basketball website claims that in looking at the Asian Men?s Championship line-up of China, several age discrepencies have surfaced.
China listed its official roster for the 2011 FIBA Asia tournament and Volbert noted it is the same roster used in a tune-up game against Iceland.
But the writer points out ?The problem is China?s continuing slovenliness in listing the ages of its players? adding that ?this is most important in junior tournaments but this ineptitude with ages causes us to suspect the true ages of all Chinese players.?
Volbert goes on to detail the discrepancies.
Center Wang ZhiZhi is listed as being born in 1979 when it is commonly known that he was born in 1977 and that he was made younger to make him eligible for a local junior tournament decades ago.?
This reminds us of the controversy over the alleged doctored ages of China?s female gymnasts in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Ding Jinhu is listed as born in 1989. In his CBA roster he is listed as born in 1990. He was once before listed, according to Volbert, as born in 1989 at a sneaker camp several years ago prompting the question is 1989his true birth year?
The writer notes that if 1990 is his real birth year he would be eligible for the 2012 NBA Draft. If 1989 he should have been eligible last June.
Another case involves Zhang Bo who is listed as being born in 1990 but in the CBA his year of birth is 1988.
Volbert poses the question is Zhang eligible for the 2012 NBA draft or is it just a stupid mistake?
Yi Li is listed as born in 1987 but the CBA now lists him as born in 1985 though he was listed as being born in1987 for several years when he was younger.
Is there any wonder then that people suspect that Yi Jianlian?s true birth is not 1987?
As the Asia Basket article states, ?Can?t China see that this sloppiness with age causes us to suspect the ages of young prospects such as Guo Ailun, Jun Mingxin, Li Muhao and Wang Zhelin? China must really work to gets its players ages straight.
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