The Korean Basketball League (KBL) has decided to maintain its decision to withhold the player registration of Ricardo Ratliffe of the Korea Gas Corporation.
The Gas Corporation has signaled legal action by filing an injunction with the court.
After the Gas Corporation signed a new-season renewal contract with foreign player Ricardo Ratliffe, the KBL withheld Ratliffe's player registration last May, and held a Finance Committee meeting today (August 12), deciding to maintain the hold after an 8-hour marathon meeting.
Ratliffe's registration was blocked due to 398 million won in comprehensive income taxes incurred during his time with KCC in 2024.
At the time, the KBL Board of Directors stipulated that the club newly acquiring Ratliffe—whose status changed from a naturalized player to a foreign player—would be responsible for the taxes. However, the Gas Corporation, which acquired Ratliffe last season, did not pay this. The conflict flared up after Ratliffe paid the taxes out of his own pocket and filed a return lawsuit against his former team, KCC.
Ultimately, the KBL held the Gas Corporation accountable for breaking the principle, but the Gas Corporation had already filed an injunction regarding the registration hold last week, forecasting a legal battle.
[Park Chul-hyo / Vice President, Korea Gas Corporation : (Regarding future response) We are thinking about it, but it seems difficult to say anything specific in the current situation.]
(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video Reported by Yoo Dong-hyuk | Video Edited by Lee Jae-sung)
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