Pro Basketball Players and Coaches Continue Testing Positive... Total 112 Cases

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyung-su] Four new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in professional basketball.

The KBL, which oversees professional basketball, announced on the 23rd that four players tested positive for COVID-19 through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

The KBL did not disclose which teams had confirmed cases. However, it is known that one of the new cases was a player who had been called up to the national team, which was disbanded the previous day.

As of 5 p.m. on the same day, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among professional basketball teams reached 112, including 87 players and 25 coaches. Following 17 positive cases confirmed the previous day, new cases continue to emerge.

Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, professional basketball suspended the league temporarily from the 16th. Games are scheduled to resume on the 2nd of next month.

With the increase in COVID-19 cases, the South Korean men's basketball team decided not to participate in the '2023 FIBA World Cup Asia Qualifiers' held in Manila, Philippines, from the 24th to the 28th.

The Korea Basketball Association announced the national team roster last month. Seven players tested positive for COVID-19 and one withdrew due to injury, resulting in only 16 players being assembled. Even after the team was gathered, four more players tested positive, leading to the final decision to withdraw from the tournament on the departure date, the 22nd.