China’s WNBA star Li Yueru will miss the Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin after losing her passport in the mail.
“Li Yueru’s passport was accidentally lost while being mailed in the United States,” the Chinese Basketball Association said.
The document could not be found before the tournament’s registration deadline so Li was unable to travel to Germany, the association said.
The tournament starts Friday, with China meeting the United States in their first game.
“It’s really unfortunate I can’t be with my sisters this time,” the 27-year-old Li, who plays for the Dallas Wings, said on Instagram.
She thanked the association and embassies for helping with her search.
“We’ve all been working hard together and exploring every possible solution, but maybe we were just a little short on luck this time,” Li added.
The 2.0-meter center led China in scoring at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
