FIBA apologizes after 'sneaky win' remark sparks outrage in China
FIBA has apologised after calling China's basketball victory over Japan a 'sneaky win' in a social media post. The remark sparked widespread anger among Chinese fans, who saw it as disrespectful. The organisation later removed the original post and revised the wording on all platforms.
The controversy began when FIBA's Instagram account described China's comeback win as a 'sneaky' victory. Chinese supporters reacted strongly, accusing the body of bias and unfair treatment. A well-known Chinese basketball commentator labelled the officiating in the match as 'pretty outrageous' and 'borderline lawless', adding to the frustration.
FIBA responded by deleting the original post and replacing it with a neutral version: 'China turn things around in the second half, and get the win against Japan'. An apology was then issued on FIBA's official WeChat account in both Chinese and English, admitting the term 'sneaky' was inappropriate. However, no matching statement appeared on FIBA's website or other social media channels.
The incident came amid broader complaints from Chinese fans about officiating in the game. Several technical and unsportsmanlike fouls called against China fuelled claims of bias, intensifying the backlash against FIBA's initial post.
FIBA's apology was limited to WeChat, leaving other platforms without an official explanation. The edited post and removal of the original wording followed public pressure, but the incident highlighted ongoing tensions over perceived unfairness in the match. Chinese fans continue to voice dissatisfaction over both the language used and the officiating decisions.
