Injured Yao may still play in August World Championships

China's Yao Ming is recovering well from a broken foot and could be fit to play in August's World Championships, a spokesman for the player's management team said yesterday. Zhang Mingji of "Team Yao" told the China Radio International (CRI) Web site...

China's Yao Ming is recovering well from a broken foot and could be fit to play in August's World Championships, a spokesman for the player's management team said yesterday.

Zhang Mingji of "Team Yao" told the China Radio International (CRI) Web site that the 7ft-6in Houston Rockets centre would start rehabilitation soon and could be training again in eight weeks.

"I believe there is still a possibility for Yao to participate in the world championships," Zhang said.

Yao broke his left foot in NBA action for the Rockets against the Utah Jazz on April 11 and after surgery four days later, faced up to six months out of the game.

He would return to China in June, Zhang said, two months before the start of the World Championships in Japan.

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) confirmed yesterday that Yao's compatriot Yi Jianlian would not be joining him in the NBA - in the short term at least - after withdrawing from the 2006 draft.

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