Yi Jianlian (C) sings Chinese national anthem before China's group M match against Nigeria at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province, Sept. 8, 2019. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) has filed an appeal against a FIBA sanction with regard to the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers, according to a CBA official.

The Chinese men's national team didn't participate in the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers in November 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January, the FIBA Disciplinary Panel announced it would impose sanctions on a number of its member associations, including China, for failing to participate in the competition.

China was fined 160,000 Swiss francs (178,660 U.S. dollars) and deducted two points in the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers, with half of the sanction being deferred to the association fully complying with its participation obligation in the next FIBA official competition.

"Through careful analysis and judgement, the CBA has made an appeal to FIBA in early February and consigned a lawyer to take care of follow-up affairs," said Xu Lan, head of the national team and the CBA's foreign affairs department.

After the conclusion of the CBA league's second stage earlier in February, Chinese national team players gathered to gear up for the third window of the qualifiers originally scheduled for mid-February, but the tournament was postponed afterwards due to restrictions imposed by Qatari authorities.

"We are in discussions with the FIBA regarding details of the qualifiers, including possible dates and some other arrangements, but it's not just in our hand as it involves over 10 member associations of FIBA, and FIBA needs some time to comprehensively coordinate relevant parties and consider this scenario," Xu noted.

Xu also shrugged off rumors that the CBA will dispatch a national youth team to compete in the Asian continental competition's qualifiers.

"We don't have such a plan. We will send our senior national team to participate in the competition," she commented.