On the night of January 1, 2025, the CBA regular season match between Xinjiang Team and Shandong Men's Basketball Team at Xinjiang's home court was a focal point. Why? There were multiple factors: firstly, it was the "New Year's Game" on New Year's Day, which is considered a highlight; secondly, both Shandong and Xinjiang are super-strong teams this season, fitting well with the promotional style of the "New Year's Battle"; thirdly, Qiu Biao was the head coach of Xinjiang last season, and Yu Dehao is an old player from Xinjiang, all of which brought extra attention to this game.
Originally, it was a match very suitable for promoting and publicizing the brand and value of the CBA. However, on this night, the dignity of the CBA league and referees was shattered by Zhao Rui's angry outburst, collision, and ejection after the refereeing decision.
Refereeing decisions have always been a tough issue in this game. The controversy over the refereeing decision came particularly fast. With 5 minutes left in the first quarter, Zhao Rui scored quickly while being pushed out of bounds during a confrontation, directly colliding with the basketball hoop. The referee believed that the defensive action was not problematic, but Zhao Rui, who was knocked out of bounds, was very dissatisfied and thought that the referee's decision was a misjudgment.
Zhao Rui excitedly confronted the referee and was immediately given a "T" by the referee; after receiving the "T," Zhao Rui became furious and physically confronted the referee, resulting in his disqualification and ejection from the game in the first quarter.
Zhao Rui's ejection in the first quarter obviously had a direct impact on the progress and outcome of the game, ending Xinjiang's 14-game home winning streak.
Zhao Rui's ejection became a hot topic on sports search engines during the "New Year's Battle," which is not good news for the CBA. It can be said that the dignity of the CBA referees was shattered. Here are three points:
Firstly, the ability to control key games is a great test for referees. In such a highly anticipated game, it is crucial to judge the situation appropriately. The first quarter of the game is especially important, as it sets the standard for the referees' decision-making and serves as a lever to guide the players' emotions. If not handled well, it can lead to a choppy game.
Secondly, the ability to deal with special situations is a great test for referees. After Zhao Rui was knocked out of bounds, there was naturally a period for him to vent his dissatisfaction. The technical foul (T) could have been given to Zhao Rui, but it would have been better to let him vent first before giving the T. This would have allowed Xinjiang time to calm Zhao Rui down, thus completely avoiding the second T. It was unnecessary to eject a player in the first quarter.
Thirdly, the focus of broadcasting games is a great test for referees. The refereeing team should have an overall plan for enforcing rules in key broadcast games. Apparently, the plan for this game was not well prepared.