Mailap ngunit mabait si Yao-- Garcia

MANILA, Philippines - Sinabi kahapon ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richie Garcia na umiwas si dating NBA star Yao Ming sa kanyang mga fans dahil sa personal na kadahilanan at ginamit ang Chinese language sa pakikipag-usap sa media para maintindihan ng kanyang mga kasamahan na nagmula sa Shanghai.

Kinumpirma ni Garcia, nanguna sa goodwill tour ng Shanghai delegation, na nakipag-usap siya kay Yao sa wikang English at hindi nahirapan sa pakikisa-lamuha sa 7’6 giant.

Maski si Vice President Jejomar Binay ay kinausap si Yao sa wikang Ingles sa kanilang pagkikita sa Coconut Palace noong Lunes. Naging duwende si Binay nang makipagharap kay Yao.

“I think Yao chose to speak to media in Chinese in deference to the delegation that came with him from Shanghai as he wanted to make sure he was unders-tood by his companions,” sabi ni Garcia na tinutukoy ang 14 delegadong Chinese press.  “We should also understand Yao and respect his privacy.  He’s conscious of being portrayed as a freak.  Someone tried to take a photograph of him eating and his knees were raised high because he was too tall for his seat on the table.  So the security waved off the photographer.”

 Inulan ang 32-anyos na si Yao ng kritisismo mula sa local media dahil sa pag-iwas nito sa kanyang mga fans na gustong makakuha ng autograph o ng litrato.

 Umupo siya malapit sa bench ng Shanghai Sharks sa kanilang larong Gilas Pilipinas sa  SM MOA Arena noong Lunes at nang lumapit si TV courtside reporter Sel Guevara para sa isang interview ay itinuro siya ni Yao sa kanyang interpreter. 

Kung nagtungo si Yao, isang three-time Olympian at three-time FIBA-Asia Championships MVP, sa bansa para sa isang goodwill purpose, dapat ay nakitungo siya sa kanyang mga Filipino fans.

Ngunit idinepensa ni Garcia si Yao.

 â€œHe’s really a nice guy,” wika ni Garcia. “We played nine holes at Manila Golf. I’m told he gets to play golf only five times a year.  But he had a 58-inch driver which is really long, considering mine is only 46 inches. On the par-four first hole, Yao had about 20 strokes.  He talked about his winery in Napa Valley.  His parents live in Houston but he lives in Shanghai with his wife (6-3 Ye Li) and their 3-year-old daughter (Yao Qinlei).”