NBA's China tip-off in doubt as pressure grows on all sidesSHANGHAI – The NBA's annual exhibition games in China hung in the balance on Thursday as pressure grew for them to be scrapped over a free speech row ignited by a basketball executive's pro-democracy tweet. But the intense Chinese backlash against the world's top basketball league over its attitudes on free speech and Hong Kong's democracy movement has thrown the games — and the NBA's larger interests in China — into doubt. The open letter urged NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who came to Shanghai for Thursday's game, to "take a stand." Anger over free speech vowBut, under mounting pressure in the United States, Silver made a strong defense of free speech and American values that provoked outrage in China. The NBA's China sponsors have severed ties and Chinese netizens have called for boycotts.

Source: Philippine Star October 10, 2019 02:47 UTC