**Mid-Teen Basketball Game 'Intentional Hit' Controversy**

On August 12, 2025, at the Cultural and Sports Center in Yanggu-gun, Gangwon Province, during the '2025 Korean Middle and High School Basketball Weekend League Championship' semifinals for middle school boys, an incident occurred where a player hit an opponent during the match, resulting in the latter being transported to a hospital.

Despite the situation, the perpetrating player exhibited an attitude of innocence, refusing to acknowledge any wrongdoing, which has fueled growing anger and criticism among citizens.

Additionally, the inadequate response from the coaching staff of the offending player's team has raised questions about accountability across the basketball community.

**Collision after a Rebound… Injured Player Seriously Hurt**

The issue arose midway through the second quarter during a rebound contention. Player A from Samil Middle School struck Player B from Yongsan Middle School in the face right after a struggle for the ball. Witnesses expressed that it was difficult to regard it as a mere foul due to the nature of the direct hit.

Player B collapsed on the court, received emergency treatment, and was then transported to a hospital. Stitches were required over his eye, and a potential orbital fracture raised concerns, leading to his additional transfer to Seoul. The incident was shocking enough to be captured during the tournament's broadcast, and videos posted on the YouTube channel 'Nongyamo' have circulated across various online communities.

Prior to the assault, the Samil Middle School bench openly displayed dissatisfaction with the officiating. As protests escalated, one coach was ultimately ejected. However, throughout this process, there was no effort to stabilize the game or manage player emotions.

**Calls for Accountability from Coaching Staff and League… Urging Prevention Measures**

Immediately after the incident, the mood on the bench leaned more towards disputing the call rather than seeking calm or offering apologies. During Player B's transfer to the hospital, the offending player left the court with an expressionless demeanor, highlighting the lack of management responsibility from the leaders.

The Korean Middle and High School Basketball Federation has classified the incident as serious and has announced potential disciplinary actions for players and coaches. However, there is widespread criticism within and outside the basketball community that "temporary suspensions will not be effective in preventing a recurrence of violence."

It is argued that school sports should prioritize character and sportsmanship over performance. The perception that violence on the court is not simply an emotional outburst, but rather a serious act that undermines trust in the educational environment must be instilled. This incident illustrates that the offending player, the negligent coaching staff, and the federation's poor management are all accountable.

There are suggestions that if this incident had occurred in a public space rather than on the court, the perpetrator would have found it hard to evade criminal charges like assault. Despite the peculiarities of sports events, criticism continues that intentional hitting should never be tolerated.

In light of this incident, there are increasing calls to clearly address the perpetrator's wrongdoing and ensure that the coaching staff and federation establish effective measures to prevent future occurrences.

Image sources: youtube 'Nongyamo', unrelated stock photo / gettyimagesbank