The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO)토토사이트 has acknowledged and apologized for the errors made by the umpires and video review center in the Samsung-Kia game in Pohang on April 1. All officials have been disciplined.
“We sincerely apologize to the KIA team and fans for the video replay misreading situation that occurred in the bottom of the third inning of the KBO League game between Samsung and KIA at Pohang Stadium,” the KBO said in a statement today.
The KBO explained, “Yesterday, the decision on whether or not a home run was called by the video review center was made through the broadcast relay screen transmitted to the review center, and the decision was made hastily without checking the previous situation when the ball hit the top of the fence and bounced, resulting in a misreading.”
Sanctions were imposed on the umpire and the head of the reading center who made the incorrect call.
The main referee in charge of the match was suspended for two days and 10 games, while the assistant referee and the head of the reading center were suspended for five games. In addition, the referee team itself was fined 1 million won for making inaccurate calls on the field and showing inexperience in game management.
It is unusual for the KBO to directly sanction an umpire or video review center for making an incorrect call and make it public.
There have been a few instances where umpires have been demoted to the second team. This year, an umpire who misapplied the rules and allowed a goal in the Sajik-Lotte-KT game on April 7 was demoted to the Future League and fined 1 million won. The referee’s assistant was also fined 1 million won and given a warning. The referee, who was suspended indefinitely, returned to the first team about a month later.
There has only been one case where the director of a video review center has been disciplined. On July 27, 2017, the first year of the video replay center, the umpire in charge of the Ulsan Samsung-Lotte game was heavily criticized for calling Lotte’s Son Ah-seop’s double a home run. The head of the video review center was suspended for 10 games. This is the first time the KBO has directly sanctioned a video review center.
“We will do our best to prevent misjudgments and misreadings from occurring by strengthening the training and management of umpires and video reviewers in the future,” the KBO promised, adding, “We will thoroughly inspect and prepare the stadium facilities at the KBO level before holding games at the second baseball stadium to ensure that nothing untoward happens in judgments and readings, including player safety.”