Yao Ming, president of the Chinese Basketball Association. /VCG
The remainder of the 2019-20 CBA season will come back on June 20, announced the top Chinese basketball league on Thursday.
The 2019-20 season has been suspended since January 21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and finally, it is returning after a 151-day-long hiatus.
The Chinese Basketball Association has made this decision after receiving the consent of the country's top sports-governing bureau and health authorities. "All 20 teams will be playing all the games in two cities, Qingdao of Shandong Province and Dongguan of Guangdong Province," said the association in the statement.
Yi Jianlian #9 of the Guangdong Southern Tigers posts up in the game against the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in Urumqi, capital city of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, January 21, 2020. /VCG
The Association responded to a widely-held question about foreign player policy. The league will carry on its traditional policy in this aspect but teams are given a new option: they can apply to suspend the use of all foreign players before the season restarts.
If a team chooses to do so, they will be considered to have an all-Chinese franchise, like the Bayi Rockets. In this case, their opponents will be limited with the use of foreign players, just like they are when competing with the Rockets.
Chinese basketball boss Yao Ming also spoke about the foreign player policy issues, stressing that the league will try its best to ensure fair play and game equality.
Donatas Motiejūnas of the Shanghai Sharks in the game against the Jiangsu Dragons in Suzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province, January 21, 2020. /VCG
The CBA also stressed that it would do everything possible to make sure that every game happens in the safest way.
Though it's not mentioned in the statement, the CBA games, at least in the early stage, are likely to take place behind closed doors. Moreover, the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic is still escalating in the U.S. and Donald Trump's administration's decision to suspend Chinese passenger carriers only made it almost impossible for American players to return to the CBA.
As a result, the excitement of the CBA games will understandably be hurt. However, as the first domestic sports league that announced its return, the CBA will be a true soul-elevator to Chinese basketball fans who have been waiting for so long.
Jeremy Lin #7 of the Beijing Ducks drives towards the basket in the game against the Beijing Royal Fighters in Beijing, January 21, 2020. /VCG
"I knew the CBA would make the announcement one day earlier than the NBA," posted Chinese basketball commentator Su Qun on Weibo after learning the news. Interestingly, Su actually complained about why it took so long to decide the restarting plan a few days ago.
Players are just as excited as fans to hear the announcement. Jeremy Lin of the Beijing Ducks wrote: "yesssssssssss!!!!!!!" His teammate Zhai Xiaochuan posted: "It's happening, it's really happening."