China's Yao to return to court in July: report

BEIJING (Reuters) - Yao Ming, China's most popular sportsman, will make his return from foot surgery to play for his country against Iran in next month's Stankovic Cup, local media has reported.

The 7ft 6in (2.29-metre) Houston Rockets center had his NBA season cut short by a fractured foot in February and faced a race to be fit to lead China's challenge for basketball gold at the August 8-24 Beijing Olympics.

"Yao Ming will definitely play the match and this will be his first match after returning from injury," the organizer of the Stankovic Cup told Sohu.com.

As well as China and Asian champions Iran, the Stankovic Cup will also feature European champions Russia and African champions Angola. It will take place in Hangzhou, China, from July 17-20.

Yao's agent said the 27-year-old had been given the all-clear by Rockets medical staff to return to China on June 24 but could not confirm whether he would definitely be fit for the Stankovic Cup.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Martin Petty)

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