One of the biggest stress inducers when you travel is keeping tabs on your passport. I’m a lunatic about keeping track of mine because here’s the thing: When I go places, I like to come home again.
Unfortunately for WNBA star Li Yueru of the Dallas Wings, she didn’t even get a chance to worry about knowing where her passport was at all times during the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin.
Why? Because it got lost in the mail.
CAITLIN CLARK AND ANGEL REESE MUST NOW WORK TOGETHER AT WOMEN’S WORLD CUP AS WNBA TAKES A HIGH-STAKES BREAK
The 6-foot-7 center, who led the Chinese national team in points at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris (obviously, her passport didn’t pull a Houdini in the mail that time), revealed that she will not be on the roster when the tournament gets underway.
“Unfortunately, my passport was lost in the mail and still hasn’t been found,” she wrote in her Instagram story. “Throughout this time, we’ve all been working hard together and exploring every possible solution, but maybe we were just a little short on luck this time. As of today, the passport is still missing.”
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That stinks. Sure, it helps teams like the U.S., which is awesome, but you hate to see this.
Unfortunately, you can’t control everything, and to quote Carl Showalter, “Things have changed, circumstances, Jerry… force majeure, acts of God.”
However, while a lot of us would be shaking with rage if this happened to us, Li Yueru handled it with grace.
“Sometimes, disappointment is simply part of life,” the WNBA star wrote. “I’m sad that I won’t be able to be there this time, but I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me and continues to support Chinese women’s basketball.”
This means that the next time she’s on the court for a competitive game will be on Sept. 17, when the Wings return to action with a game against the Los Angeles Sparks.
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