Yi Jianlian hopes to make a new start in the National Basketball Association with the rebuilding New Jersey Nets in the season that opens this week.
FIFA is expected to announce the bid procedure for both tournaments later on Friday with a joint bid from Belgium and the Netherlands already formally declared. England, the United States, Mexico, Spain and Australia are also likely to bid.
Chinese basketball officials have denied local media reports that NBA All-Star Yao Ming is set to retire from international basketball.
Coach Sun Haiping said his Olympic and world 110m hurdles champion Liu Xiang would receive crucial treatment after seeking medical advice in the US, local media reported.
Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang will head to the United States next week to seek advice on the Achilles injury at the Beijing Olympics.
Three local teenagers are now training in the US with the coach of retired world champion Chen Lu to try and replicate some of her record-breaking success.
China's star figure skating pairs are starting their final season before the advent of 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics with as set of dazzling new routines.
Yao Ming feels he is 'unable to play for the national team anymore' and may quit next year, according to a report from the Shanghai-based Oriental Sports Daily on Monday that has shocked China's basketball circles.
Chinese Li Na and Peng Shuai both booked easy victories to advance into the second round at the Luxembourg championship women's tennis event on Monday.
China's women swept the medals at the 2008 Beijing International Marathon yesterday while Kenya's men also pulled out all the stops for a 1-2-3 finish.
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