This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world's sports scene to a grinding halt, but China's basketball league has finally resumed, albeit behind closed doors. On June 20, 2020, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) restarted its league in Qingdao, a city in the northeast of China, after a five-month hiatus.
As the country battles a cluster of infections in Beijing, the CBA has taken measures to ensure player safety. The league has been split into two groups, with one group playing games in Qingdao and the other in the southern city of Dongguan. All games will be played without fans, a precautionary measure in line with sports around the world trying to relaunch amidst the ongoing pandemic.
On the first day of the restart, Zhejiang Guangsha Lions defeated Nanjing Monkey Kings 112-95 in front of a largely empty arena. The match was watched by Yao Ming, the president of the CBA and a former Houston Rockets All-Star, who had a mask on. The electronic screen in the arena showed supporters watching remotely.
Before the match, players, coaches, and officials stood with their heads bowed for a period of silence in remembrance of those who died in recent months due to the coronavirus. The CBA has scheduled five matches on the first day of the restart, with former NBA champion Jeremy Lin in action for the Beijing Ducks.
When the CBA was brought to a halt on February 1, 2020, defending champions Guangdong Southern Tigers topped the standings after 30 matches. However, more than half of the 20 teams in the CBA will compete without foreign players due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
China has seen a decline in the number of infections, but a recent surge in Beijing has raised concerns. The country reported 23 new domestically transmitted infections on June 20, 2020, with all but one in the capital. Beijing authorities have taken measures to contain the outbreak, including locking down neighbourhoods, closing schools, and launching a large-scale testing programme.
