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| ▲ This image provided by the Korea Baseball Organization on March 24, 2021, shows its emblem. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Choo Shin-soo of the SSG Landers watches his Korea Baseball Organization club in preseason action against the NC Dinos while wearing a mask in the dugout at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on March 21, 2021. (Yonhap) |
KBO-health protocols
KBO tightens health protocols ahead of 2nd season during pandemic
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean baseball league released tighter health and safety protocols on Wednesday, ahead of its second season during the global coronavirus pandemic.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said it consulted health and medical experts to ensure safe operations during the 2021 season, which begins on April 3.
Mask wearing will continue to be mandatory in all areas except on the field of play during games. The KBO will do random spot checks and discipline violators. Masks will also be mandatory for pregame or postgame ceremonies on the field.
Bench-clearing brawls will also be prohibited, as the KBO seeks to keep players at safe distances and minimize contact among them.
If players test positive for COVID-19, teams will be able to replace them with healthy players and keep the season going. However, in case of a mass infection that leaves a club severely shorthanded, then the league will convene an emergency board meeting to discuss a potential stoppage of play.
A limited number of fans will be allowed at the start of the season, and the KBO will apply a "three strikes and you're out" rule on violators of protocols, with third-time offenders facing ejection from the stadium.
Just as last year, fans won't be able to consume food from their seats, and vocal cheering will not be permitted. They must go through temperature checks before entering and must maintain safe distance from others once inside the ballpark.
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