Seoul: The top professional football league has asked its clubs to carry out safety checks at their stadiums, in light of a fatal incident at a baseball stadium.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Professional Football League (K League) stated Tuesday that it had instructed its 26 teams, spanning the top-tier K League 1 and second-division K League 2, to double-check their stadiums for any potential dangers and to prevent accidents. The league emphasized the importance of collaborating with regional governments to conduct thorough safety inspections.
"Stadium safety is an essential element of the sports viewing experience," a K League official declared. "We asked all club officials to recognize the importance of safety management and to cooperate accordingly."
Additionally, the K League requested its broadcasting rights holders to ensure the safety of their camera cranes and trucks during operations.
The initiative by the K League follows the tragic death of a baseball fan on Monday, two days after she suffered a head injury in an accident during a Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) game. On Saturday, at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, roughly 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, an aluminum panel fell from approximately 18 meters above the ground. It struck the top of a concession stand before hitting the deceased fan and her sister. The fan succumbed to her injuries on Monday, while her sister suffered a broken collarbone.
In response, the KBO canceled Sunday's game in Changwon between the NC Dinos and the LG Twins to facilitate safety checks at the stadium. Initially, the league planned to have a three-game series between the Dinos and the SSG Landers played behind closed doors. However, they decided to cancel it altogether on Monday as a mark of respect for the victim.
The league designated the first three days of April as a mourning period for the late fan and canceled four other games scheduled for Tuesday. The eight other KBO clubs are set to return to the field on Wednesday evening, but cheering will not be allowed at those games. Players across all games will observe a moment of silence for the victim and will wear black ribbons on their jerseys.