'Korea Crushed by Iran' → China Faces Historic Defeat and 'No-Medal Humiliation': A Deluge of Outrage Directed at China, "How Can Korea Catch Up Now..."

*This content was translated by AI.

"China, which suffered a historic no-medal humiliation, is now facing intense criticism toward Guo Shuang, head coach of the men's national basketball team. Despite suffering its second-worst performance in Asian Games history after being defeated by Iran — a team that had previously lost decisively to both South Korea and Japan — Guo has consistently avoided taking responsibility, further fueling public outrage.

"According to Chinese media outlet 'Sina Sports' on the 22nd (Korean time), 'Head coach Guo Shuang finds himself at the center of fierce criticism. Media outlets and fans are demanding that he take full responsibility for the national team's defeat and its second-worst performance in Asian Games history.'"

"China was defeated by Iran 70-79 in the bronze medal match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men's basketball tournament held on the 20th in Nagoya, Japan, finishing fourth overall. This marks China's second-ever failure to reach the podium at the Asian Games since its fifth-place finish at the 2014 Incheon Games, despite being the most decorated nation with eight titles.

"The humiliation was compounded by the strength of their opponent, Iran. Iran had been soundly defeated by South Korea in this tournament's semifinals, losing 51-77 by a margin of 26 points. South Korea went on to defeat Iran and then beat host nation Japan to claim the gold medal.

"In contrast, China suffered a lifeless 20-point loss to Japan in the semifinals before being stunned by an improbable comeback victory from Iran, failing to secure any medal. Comment sections on local outlets like 'Sohu.com' were flooded with remarks such as, 'They lost to a team that was crushed by South Korea by 26 points,' 'The gap between China and South Korea and Japan is widening,' and 'Just like football, basketball has also fallen into decline.'

"What further fueled the criticism was an interview given by head coach Guo Shuang after the match. According to Sina Sports, during a formal press conference, Guo briefly dismissed the loss as 'very regrettable' before shifting blame to the team's composition, stating, 'There were too many young players.'

"He then added, 'Since both the players and coaching staff worked extremely hard, I will not rate or score either myself or the players.' This remark drew sharp public backlash. Critics labeled the explanation as irresponsible, given that millions of yuan in taxpayer money had been invested in long-term training only to suffer a crushing defeat.

"Even state-run Chinese media delivered a direct blow. Xinhua News Agency targeted Guo's comments, stating, 'China's basketball does not need a narrative about how hard it worked.' It further criticized, 'Claiming that we suffered even without achieving results is merely self-consolation valid only in the workplace. Trying to substitute a disastrous outcome with the hardship of the process, or attempting to cover up capability gaps with proper attitude, earns no respect whatsoever on the sports field.'

"However, despite the heated public outcry, there are no immediate plans to dismiss the head coach. Prominent Chinese basketball journalist Su Chun analyzed via his personal social networking service (SNS) that 'personally, I believe the possibility of Guo Shuang being dismissed is extremely low, practically nonexistent.'

"Journalist Su Chun explained, 'The true core mission assigned to Coach Guo Shuang is qualifying for the Basketball World Cup and securing an Olympic berth. Qualifying for the World Cup is mandatory, while Olympic participation depends on performance at the World Cup.' He added, 'We are currently only halfway through the four-year Olympic cycle. The 5-3 record in World Cup qualifiers still meets the qualification threshold.'

"He further noted, 'Replacing a coach cannot be done impulsively. To completely reset the Olympic cycle would require nearly a year of preparation. While veteran coaches like Zhang Xingquan have stepped up during crises in the past, who would willingly take on such a hot potato amid today's fierce online public opinion environment?'

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*This content was translated by AI.