After the Guangzhou Longshi lost to the Beijing team by 1 point away on December 19, Guo Shiqiang angrily pointed out in an interview that "the Beijing team faked too many falls and cheated too many fouls". As soon as these words came out, they immediately sparked a strong reaction among fans and the media community. Boss Guo's angry rebuke is tantamount to a blow to the head, which is the weakness of Chinese basketball referees.
The point of the incident was a "world" performance by Beijing player Jiang Wen in this game. In a rotational defense with Guangzhou defender Li Yanzhe, he first bumped into the opponent's elbow, and then immediately threw himself on the ground and yelled, deceiving a vicious foul. This is completely a blatant fake fall acting, but what is unbelievable is that the referee completely bought it and almost blew off a key three points from Guangzhou. Fortunately, he spotted the problem in time and gave a sideline ball to remedy it, but Guangzhou only missed this mistake and lost the game.
As soon as this incident came out, it immediately caused an uproar in the fan circle. People have expressed their dumbfounded, and it is really worrying that the referees of the top domestic leagues can't even see through this level of scam. Under Guo Shiqiang's angry rebuke, the long-standing shortcomings of the Chinese basketball referee team were once again exposed. It is necessary for us to face up to this phenomenon and reflect on and review it in depth.
1. The referee selection mechanism is rigid, and the team building is insufficient
For many years, the selection mechanism for CBA referees relied primarily on a single shot test score. This is undoubtedly very one-sided, and the referee needs to be more comprehensive than just shooting accurately. For example, the understanding of the rules and regulations, the judgment of the situation on the field, and the ability to communicate are all equally important. However, after these young referees enter the league, there is no guarantee that they can be trained enough. Many veteran referees are also not sensitive to rule updates, and the technical statisticians in the stands often know the criteria for decisions better than them. This is a direct reflection of the aging of the selection mechanism and the lack of training.
Second, the ambiguous relationship between the referee and the club is problematic
It's no secret that league referees have close personal relationships with a number of club executives and coaches. Can they be 100 percent fair when it comes to playing? In many vicious incidents that have occurred in the past few years, there have been referees. In the 2021-2022 season, Du Feng was severely beaten and only received a symbolic small punishment, and the inaction of the referee association caused public outrage. It is not uncommon for league owners to meet with referees in private. The opaque relationship of interest between them has seriously affected the fairness of the game.
Third, law enforcement standards are different, and it is difficult to integrate with international standards
The rules of the CBA league have always been formulated in accordance with FIBA's international rules, but there are big differences between them and FIBA in terms of actual penalties. International competitions emphasize the normativity of technical movements, and the tolerance for aggression on the defensive end is low. In the CBA, all kinds of powerful breakthroughs and elbows on the offensive end often get away with it, which is rare in FIBA. The two law enforcement Xi are too different, which directly leads to the national players being at a loss when they reach the international arena and often getting into foul trouble. This has also directly led to the fact that Chinese referees have not been able to enter the ruling list of world-class competitions for many years, and have no presence on the international stage.
These problems did not emerge overnight, and they reflect the systemic consequences of the deterioration of the refereeing environment in China. At present, the Chinese men's basketball team is at a low ebb, and it is in urgent need of replenishing young blood. And the referee team is facing the same dilemma. The virtuous cycle of development of the two is crucial to the prospects of Chinese basketball as a whole. Therefore, the author calls on the Basketball Association and referees at all levels to face up to Guo Shiqiang's criticism and fundamentally solve the existing institutional obstacles.
The first is to establish a scientific and comprehensive selection system, and attach importance to the pre-service and post-service training of referee education. Expand the selection channels and attract more young and middle-aged referees who know how to play and play to join the team. Increase investment in training, regularly hold promotion training courses, and benchmark with international rules.
The second is to establish a mechanism for the integrity league and strengthen team building. It is strictly forbidden for referees to meet with the team's senior management at the private drinking table to avoid the transfer of benefits. Establish a system of reporting, inspection and accountability, and strictly deal with violators. Adhere to the management concept of fair and just games.
The third is to reform the technical statistics system and strengthen supervision over law enforcement. Non-referee technical statisticians will be deployed on the field to assist in verifying the decision. After a major mistake, you need to explain or apologize after the fact, and accept the supervision of the media and fans. Gradually narrow the gap between the enforcement of FIBA rules and strive to achieve international integration as soon as possible.
Chinese basketball is at the crossroads of transformation, and a fair referee environment and high-level referee enforcement will greatly promote its healthy development. I hope that all departments will uphold the concept of progress and work together to carry out reforms and breakthroughs for the future of Chinese basketball!