In a dramatic turn of events, Taiwan Beer forfeits their Super Basketball League (SBL) game against Changhua Pauian BLL after an altercation with referees. The game, which was held at Keelung Municipal Gymnasium, ended abruptly with 6 minutes and 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Taiwan Beer was trailing 65-78 at the time.
The incident began after a disputed foul on Taiwan Beer player Yang Tian-you (楊天佑) at the three-point line. Referees then assessed a technical foul against Tseng Pin-fu (曾品富), leading to an eruption from Taiwan Beer’s assistant coach Ha Hsiao-yuan (哈孝遠). Ha confronted the referees aggressively, prompting a physical restraint by players and coaching staff.
Frustrated, Ha ordered his team to leave the court, resulting in a stoppage of play. Referees informed the team that the game would be forfeited unless they returned to the court within a minute. When Taiwan Beer failed to comply, the win was awarded to Changhua Pauian BLL.
On Sunday, the SBL announced that Taiwan Beer would be fined NT$600,000 (US$18,116) for the forfeit. The league emphasized that failure to pay the fine would result in the team being barred from future competitions. Taiwan Beer paid the fine that same day.
Taiwan Beer’s head coach, Liu Meng-chu (劉孟竹), expressed his surprise at the quick decision to declare the forfeit. He noted that the team had been dissatisfied with the officiating since the first quarter. Liu also mentioned that his assistant coach had offered to return five players to the court, but by the time they entered the locker room, the forfeit had already been called.
The SBL issued a statement warning teams about the consequences of actions that damage the league’s image, as well as disciplinary measures for inappropriate conduct toward referees or staff. The league reminded teams that any concerns with officiating should be addressed through formal complaint procedures.
This incident underscores the intensity of emotions surrounding close calls in competitive sports and highlights the importance of maintaining order and professionalism on and off the court.
