Former Chinese basketball player qualified for Japanese league

By Yu Runze, Sina English

Miyuki Sugiyama, a former member of China’s National Youth Basketball team, was finally qualified for the Women’s Japan Basketball League (WJBL), Eastday.com reported on April 11.

Sugiyama (Chinese name Li Ming Yang) acquired Japanese citizenship in April, 2012. And she officially registered to the Japan Basketball Association in May.

However, the Chinese Basketball Association said her transfer violated the International Basketball Federation’s rule that“International transfer is not permitted before a player's eighteenth birthday”.

The International Basketball Federation recently ruled that Sugiyama is qualified to play for Chanson in the Women’s Japan Basketball League. But Chanson has to pay 2 million yen to Chinese Basketball Association as compensation