The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) was bent on resuming basketball action in April. However, it appears even that will be pushed back after the league failed to get approval from the local government to resume play.
According to ESPN, the CBA planned to resume play on Apr. 15. Foreign players were requested to rejoin their mother teams this March in preparation for it but the Chinese government thumbed down the plans in light of the growing coronavirus issue. The earliest possible time that the CBA may try to resume action will be May even though that is no assurance as well.
There are about 40 NBA players who are seeing action in the CBA. Among the notable names include Jeremy Lin, Ty Lawson, Lance Stephenson, and Donatas Motiejunas. The CBA previously announced that the players need to head back and undergo the necessary measures in preparation for a planned opening. That included being initially quarantined.
But with the recent development, the foreign players have now been left with no option but to wait as well. Though the COVID-19 virus initially started in China, most believed they would be the region that would see a decline in cases. That has shown in recent weeks but it remains that the virus strain remains a threat in the country.
Among those who traveled back to China are Lin and Stephenson. Both underwent the required two-week quarantine but other players were unfortunately left hanging. Most are stuck in limbo and are allegedly angry since they have been forced to stay in China and are not being compensated for their extra time.
Typically, the CBA would have been in the home stretch of their season. They are now facing a four-month delay due to the coronavirus, possibly more until a cure comes out in the open.
The same predicament holds for other leagues. But the better question is what the CBA plans to do. Some leagues are contemplating scrapping their seasons while others have stood firm that they will finish first before starting a new one. The NBA remains clueless on what it plans to do next and most know by now that the Tokyo Olympics is likely to be scratched.
In football, organizers stand pat on finishing the season before starting a new one. A looming issue would be the eligibility of injured players. The lull has bought them time to recuperate and the scenario ahead dramatically changes due to the COVID-19 virus.
