The Unofficial 2008 Beijing Olympics Blog

A photo of the Spanish men’s Olympics basketball team, using their index fingers as if to slant their eyes, has sparked controversy with Asian rights groups.

The photo, taken for a sponsor of the Spanish basketball team, shows the players making an eye gesture.

The image, showing the players pushing up the outside corners of their eyes, was taken before the team left Spain for Beijing.

News reports on the photo have stirred controversy, particularly outside China. Some have criticized the team for making a racist gesture, an assertion the team denies.

A group that represents Asians in the United States described the photo as “disturbing” and “divisive.” The photo has not been widely circulated in China.

A few people in China have criticized the photo in blogs and online bulletin boards. One wrote “Shame on you!” while another said “Silly Spanish basketball team — look at what they are doing.” Others dismissed it as much ado about nothing. One argued that “they are just trying to be cute.”

One Spanish baketball player, Jose Manuel Calderon, said in a blog on his Web site — www.josemanuelcalderon.com — that the picture has been “interpreted incorrectly.” Calderon is a native of Spain who also plays in the NBA for the Toronto Raptors.

More can be found at

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/14/olympics.photo.spain.basketball/index.html

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Every team is looking for a crucial win, either to clinch a quarterfinal spot or secure a higher seed in the next round, on day four of the Olympic Men’s Basketball tournament on Saturday, August 16.

9:00 a.m. (UTC/GMT +8)

Greece vs. Angola (group B)

With a 1-2 record, Greece need one more win to give them a realistic chance to place in the quarterfinals, while 0-3 Angola must win both their two remaining games to progress.

Greece and Germany share the same risk of having to meet the group A No. 1 seed in the next round, so Greece will be looking to defeat Angola by as many points as possible in case points become a tie-breaking factor in the rankings. Luckily for Greece, Angola has the worst defense of any team, conceding 92.3 points per game.

Greece’s leading scorer is guard Vasileios Spanoulis with 17.3 points per game, while Angola is led by forward Carlos Morais with 17 points per game. Overall, Greece is averaging 74 points per game with Angola scoring on average 70. (more…)