Baejai High's suspension cut to 1 month on appeal, clearing path to Bonghwang tournament

The Baejai High School baseball team had its competition ban reduced from six months to one month on appeal after players chanted slogans during a game that were widely seen as denigrating the May 18 pro-democracy movement.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee held its 19th Sports Fair Play Commission meeting Monday at Olympic Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and voted to cut Baejai High's suspension from six months to one month following a review of the original ruling.

The reduced penalty allows Baejai High to compete in the 54th Bonghwang National High School Baseball Tournament, a competition the team would have been barred from under the original six-month ban.

Baejai High is scheduled to face Incheon High in a first-round game at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, at 5 p.m. on Aug. 11.

Commission chairman Lee Yeong-jin said the players' conduct was "a disciplinary matter that violates the rules," but added that the panel took into account the fact that the players had visited Gwangju Jeil High School to apologize, that the aggrieved parties had forgiven them and asked for leniency.

"We also considered that student athletes are still in the process of learning, and concluded that the original six-month suspension was excessive," Lee said.

The controversy erupted on June 29, when some Baejai High players chanted "Let's go, let's go, let's go to Starbucks" and "Tank Day" toward the opposing team's dugout during an 81st Cheongnyong National High School Baseball Championship game against Gwangju Jeil High at Mokdong Baseball Stadium.

In response, the Korea Baseball Softball Association's fair play committee voted on July 1 to impose a six-month competition ban on the Baejai High baseball team and to forfeit the team's remaining games in the Cheongnyong tournament.

As the situation moved toward resolution — partly due to Gwangju Jeil High's plea for leniency — Baejai High applied to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's fair play commission on July 8 for a review of the six-month ban. The commission granted the reduction Monday, opening the door to Bonghwang participation.

The Bonghwang tournament is in effect the last national competition Baejai High can enter this year.

The appeal drew considerable attention because the outcome could affect the college admissions prospects and professional baseball ambitions of Baejai High's third-year players.

The Korea Baseball Softball Association had already included Baejai High in the Bonghwang tournament draw, anticipating the possibility that the team might be cleared to compete after filing for review.

Gwangju Jeil High will play Hwaseong Dongtan BC in a first-round game at Mokdong Baseball Stadium at 9 a.m. on Aug. 9.

For a rematch between Baejai High and Gwangju Jeil High to take place, both schools would need to advance to the final.