Tag: basketball

Shaquille O’Neal To Appear In Various Reebok Events This Week In Korea

| August 18, 2015

For all you basketball fans out there, Shaq will be in Korea this week promoting Reebok:

Retired NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal will arrive in Korea on Aug. 19 to promote sportswear giant Reebok and star in a local TV show.

O’Neal, who is a long-term pitchman for Reebok, will appear at a hand-printing event at the brand’s Apgujeong store on Aug. 20 and travel to Busan a day later to celebrate the opening of a new Reebok store.

In Busan, he will be hosted by Seo Jang-hoon, a former basketball star-turned-TV personality, in a talk show and also join Shin Soo-ji, a rhythmic gymnast-turned-professional bowler, to participate in a “fitness challenge” event.

He will also appear in a local TV show, titled “Off to School.” [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link.

Qatari Basketball Team Claims Discrimination Due to Ban on Headscarves

| September 27, 2014

The South Koreans have unwittingly been dragged into this whole Muslim discrimination issue due to hosting the Asian Games and having to enforce the ban on headscarves during basketball competitions:

qatari basketball team

The motto of the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, is “Diversity Shines Here,” but basketball’s governing body is not bending any rules to live up to the creed.

Prior to their first game on Wednesday, members of the Qatari women’s basketball team were told they had to remove their white headscarves, which they wear in observance of their Islamic faith, because International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules do not allow “headgear, hair accessories, and jewelry.”

The women chose to forfeit the game instead. On Thursday, they officially withdrew from the tournament prior to their second scheduled game. The competition is the world’s second-largest multi-sport competion, with about 9,500 athletes representing 45 countries.  [Yahoo Sports]

You can read more at the link, but FIBA says the headscarves are unsafe to wear during competition which I am not sure what the safety issue is?  Maybe some getting their fingers caught in the scarf during play and injuring themselves?