NBA Hall of Famer Yao Ming was "branded too young and too inexperienced to serve" as the head of the State-owned China Basketball Association by a commentary run by the Xinhua News Agency, "while scores of Chinese basketball fans expressed the opposite view." According to Xinhau, Yao, 36, "still appears to be lightweight on his resume and lacks social and management experience." Xinhua: "The CBA has never appointed a chairman as young as Yao." Internet users "expressed their support for Yao" (GLOBAL TIMES, 1/4).
Hailing the decision of the Supreme Court to "appoint a two-member committee to oversee reforms" in the Board of Control for Cricket in India after the removal of two top BCCI officials, "some Olympians and Arjuna Awardees from other disciplines on Wednesday backed ex-cricketers Bishen Bedi and Kirti Azad to undertake the task." In a media statement, they said, "Kirti Azad and Bishen Bedi are amongst the two most eminent cricketers and administrators who have done yeoman service to the game of cricket" (PTI, 1/4).
Horse trainer Nacer Samiri has been "found in possession of an anabolic steroid by the Emirates Racing Authority’s out of competition testing programme" and has been fined Dh20,000 ($5,445). A sample of Stanozolol was "delivered unsolicited" to Samiri’s Al Wathba Stables training premises. On Nov. 27, veterinarian Gabriel Wolcan "injected the performance-enhancing substance in to a horse named Brraq." Samiri was charged only for possession of the drug, "which suggests that Brraq's subsequent test at the ERA's licensed laboratory returned negative" (THE NATIONAL, 1/3).
