<p>Claims of physical abuse at NBA basketball academies in China are "disturbing", a senior official said, while adding that none of the coaches provided by the league were accused of wrongdoing.</p>.<p>Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said the NBA was reassessing its programme in China and that the league's role was limited to providing just three coaches at each Chinese-run academy.</p>.<p>An <em>ESPN </em>report released this week detailed physical abuse and a lack of schooling at the academies in Shandong, Zhejiang and Xinjiang -- the western region where China is accused of holding one million people in internment camps. NBA cut its ties with the Xinjiang academy last year.</p>.<p>"The allegations in the ESPN article are disturbing," Tatum said, in a statement sent to <em>AFP</em>.</p>.<p>"We ended our involvement with the basketball academy in Xinjiang in June 2019 and have been re-evaluating the NBA Academy programme in China."</p>.<p>The <em>ESPN </em>report described widespread physical punishment for young players, a lack of formal education, cramped living conditions, two or three training sessions a day and few extracurricular activities.</p>.<p>It said the academy project was "fundamentally flawed" because the NBA coaches are placed under the authority of Chinese officials and do not have access to the country's elite players.</p>.<p>Tatum said the NBA launched the "elite player development initiative in 2016 by working to support three existing basketball development centres in China operated by local sports authorities.</p>.<p>"Our role was limited to providing three coaches at each academy, none of whom have been alleged to have engaged in any wrongdoing."</p>.<p>One expert quoted in the report, a British-based academic who grew up in China, said physical discipline was common among Chinese coaches, pointing to cultural differences with the West.</p>
<p>Claims of physical abuse at NBA basketball academies in China are "disturbing", a senior official said, while adding that none of the coaches provided by the league were accused of wrongdoing.</p>.<p>Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said the NBA was reassessing its programme in China and that the league's role was limited to providing just three coaches at each Chinese-run academy.</p>.<p>An <em>ESPN </em>report released this week detailed physical abuse and a lack of schooling at the academies in Shandong, Zhejiang and Xinjiang -- the western region where China is accused of holding one million people in internment camps. NBA cut its ties with the Xinjiang academy last year.</p>.<p>"The allegations in the ESPN article are disturbing," Tatum said, in a statement sent to <em>AFP</em>.</p>.<p>"We ended our involvement with the basketball academy in Xinjiang in June 2019 and have been re-evaluating the NBA Academy programme in China."</p>.<p>The <em>ESPN </em>report described widespread physical punishment for young players, a lack of formal education, cramped living conditions, two or three training sessions a day and few extracurricular activities.</p>.<p>It said the academy project was "fundamentally flawed" because the NBA coaches are placed under the authority of Chinese officials and do not have access to the country's elite players.</p>.<p>Tatum said the NBA launched the "elite player development initiative in 2016 by working to support three existing basketball development centres in China operated by local sports authorities.</p>.<p>"Our role was limited to providing three coaches at each academy, none of whom have been alleged to have engaged in any wrongdoing."</p>.<p>One expert quoted in the report, a British-based academic who grew up in China, said physical discipline was common among Chinese coaches, pointing to cultural differences with the West.</p>