On January 1st, Beijing time, the "New Year's Day Battle" between Xinjiang Men's Basketball Team and Shandong Men's Basketball Team witnessed one of the most intense moments in the CBA this season and possibly the last decade. Zhao Rui, after attempting a layup, pointed at the referee in anger and subsequently collided with him, resulting in an immediate disqualification. Yes, we've seen fights between players from both teams and conflicts among fans over the years, but we've never seen a player dare to physically assault a referee. Although it is true that Zhao Rui was fouled right in front of the referee, who should not have turned a blind eye, Zhao Rui's impulsive action directly crossed the line, and Xinjiang is likely to pay a heavy price! A journalist has shared the relevant regulations of the CBA, and Zhao Rui may face a six-game suspension and a 200,000 yuan fine after the match!
Zhao Rui's unnecessary physical contact with the referee could be subject to the provisions of Article 25 of Chapter I of the CBA Disciplinary Code, which stipulates a suspension of 1-3 games and a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 yuan for intentionally making unnecessary physical contact with the referee. According to Article 28 of Chapter I of the CBA Disciplinary Respect, a first offense could result in a suspension of 3-6 games and a fine of 100,000 to 200,000 yuan; in particularly serious cases, the player could be disqualified from the current season or even suspended for a year. Zhao Rui directly pushed the referee this time, and the CBA could easily rule it as "particularly serious," potentially suspending Zhao Rui for a year. After all, there have been similar cases in the neighboring football league. However, considering the CBA company's previous habit of "muddling through," even if Zhao Rui is severely punished, they are likely to choose a moderate solution of suspending him for 5 to 6 games and fining him 100,000 to 200,000 yuan.
Zhao Rui was really too impulsive this time. It is indeed inappropriate for the referee not to call his foul, but the game was only in the first quarter, and the foul could have been overlooked. Focusing on the rest of the game and responding with better on-court performance would have been a better choice. Instead, Zhao Rui directly collided with the referee, and in a series of actions, he got himself ejected, leaving Xinjiang without their important offensive and defensive core, Zhao Rui, putting them at a disadvantage. In the end, Xinjiang didn't lose by many points, and if Zhao Rui had controlled his emotions and hadn't been ejected, Shandong might not have been able to secure the victory.
After being ejected, Zhao Rui's anger continued to burn, even extending to social media. On his personal social media account, Zhao Rui unleashed a tirade against the fans. Some fans commented that Zhao Rui has truly experienced many hardships and returned as a young man, with a temperament unchanged from when he played in Guangdong. This time, the team that suffered the most was actually Xinjiang Men's Basketball Team. Zhao Rui had just recovered from an injury, but after playing only a few games, he now faces another suspension. Xinjiang should also continue to consider finding a more capable small foreign aid.
