On January 2nd, Beijing time, Zhao Rui made a fierce move during the match between Shandong and Xinjiang, directly colliding with the referee, causing significant controversy. He is destined to face additional penalties.
Zhao Rui's impulsive action earned him the punishment he deserved, as he was immediately disqualified and ejected from the game. There is no problem with this; any player who assaults a referee during a game must be severely punished. Otherwise, everyone could do it, and no one would dare to officiate in the CBA. However, whether the CBA dares to impose further severe punishment on Zhao Rui remains uncertain.
This is because the Chinese men's basketball team may urgently need Zhao Rui in the upcoming games. If Zhao Rui is severely punished, the team will face the awkward situation of lacking an important guard. There are not many games left in the second stage, with each team having about 10 matches remaining. Following this will be the men's basketball window period, which includes crucial national team matches, including a decisive battle against Japan. Given Zhao Rui's physical condition and his current ability to play, Guo Shiqiang's national team desperately needs him.
If he is needed for the national team, he must play a few games to find his rhythm. If the direct collision with the referee results in a 10-game suspension for Zhao Rui, it would mean that he is effectively out for the second stage. How can Zhao Rui join the national team during the window period then?
It's impossible to suspend him until the end of the second stage and then have him go straight to the national team without playing a single game. With only 10 games left, suspending Zhao Rui for 10 games would make him completely rusty, and it's unrealistic to expect him to perform well after being away from competition for so long. In this situation, if Guo Shiqiang's national team really calls up Zhao Rui, how can he compete healthily? What contributions can he make to the national team?
Considering that the men's basketball team urgently needs this domestic superstar, who is second only to Guo Ailun as their ace guard, the CBA may not dare to severely punish Zhao Rui. This is their most perplexing dilemma: the national team urgently needs superstars like Zhao Rui, and they cannot guarantee victory without him. However, if they do not punish him, other players might follow suit in the future, leaving referees worried about whether they should continue officiating.