KBO fires referee Lee Min-ho for ‘concealing misjudgment’… Seung-hoon Moon and Pyeong-ho Chu suspended for 3 months (comprehensive)
KBO, strongest disciplinary action against umpires ever The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) fired umpire Lee Min-ho, who caused the ‘controversy over cover-up of misjudgments’.
This is the strongest punishment the KBO has ever imposed on a referee.
On the 19th, the KBO held a personnel committee meeting today and announced that three referees who undermined the fairness of the league through mistakes and inappropriate words and actions related to ABS (automatic pitch judgment system) decisions during the game between NC Dinos and Samsung Lions held at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 14th. “We have reviewed the disciplinary action against him,” he said, adding, “We are terminating the contract with referee Lee Min-ho.”
“Referee Seung-hoon Moon will be suspended (without pay) for three months, and additional personnel action will be taken once the suspension ends.
Referee Choo Pyeong-ho will be disciplined (without pay) for three months, which is the maximum period of suspension.”
After the incident came to light, the KBO stated, “We are looking at this matter very strictly,” and actually severely punished three umpires.
In the game in question, umpire Lee Min-ho was the assistant umpire, and umpires Seung-hoon Moon and Pyeong-ho Choo were the umpire and third base umpire, respectively, who could receive ABS strike and ball decisions through in-ears.
At that time, NC was ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the 3rd inning with 2 outs and runners on 1st base. At the plate of Samsung’s Lee Jae-hyun, umpire Seung-hoon Moon shouted ‘Ball’ when NC starter Jae-hak Lee’s 2nd pitch was a fastball.
However, ABS ruled this ball a ‘strike’.
ABS, introduced by the KBO this year, allows a machine to determine strikes and balls, and delivers the results to the referee wearing in-ears.
Unless a ‘reading error’ occurs, the referee must follow the ABS’s decision results.
Jaehak Lee’s second pitch was ruled a ‘clear strike’ by ABS.
KBO ABS situation room workers also heard the machine’s ‘strike call’.
However, referee Seung-Hoon Moon ruled ‘ball’.
NC, who confirmed that Lee Jae-hak’s second pitch passed the strike zone through the dugout tablet PC that can confirm ABS decisions, protested to the umpires.
Jaehak Lee had already thrown three more balls.
Four referees, including the referee and assistant referee, gathered to discuss whether to accept NC’s protest, and soon assistant referee Lee Min-ho took the microphone.
Umpire Lee Min-ho said to the fans, “The ball that Kim Ji-chan threw when he stole base (Lee Jae-hak’s second pitch) was conveyed to the umpire as ‘ball’ by voice.
However, after checking the ABS monitor, it was determined to be a strike,” he said. “NC appealed, but according to regulations, the protest must be made before the next pitch begins.
“The ‘appeal statute of limitations’ has passed, so we will proceed as per the original judgment,” he said.
However, the quiet conversation between the referees before the referee publicly explained the rules told a different story.
During the 4th trial agreement process, the referee said to the referee, “Please say that the sound was clearly recognized as a ball.
What we’re getting out of is… . “That’s all there is to it,” he was caught on TV broadcasting.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the KBO confirmed the facts by requesting a report from the relevant umpires, and discussed the level of disciplinary action while excluding three umpires from their duties.
The personnel committee decided to terminate the contract, equivalent to dismissal, for referee Lee Min-ho.
Referees Seung-Hoon Moon and Pyeong-Ho Choo were given severe punishments of three months of suspension.
Referee Seung-Hoon Moon can take additional personnel action after three months.
/yunhap news
.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1)
