The Korean Baseball Organisation (KBO) has issued sanctions against a player for doping, and against another player for using an illegal electronic device. The KBO issued a 36-game suspension against Im Seok-jin, after he reported an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a prohibited substance in August. The Korean Anti-Doping Agency (KADA) accepted that the SK Wyverns player had been taking medicine for a skin disease and did not intend to enhance performance, read a KBO statement.

The KBO has also fined Yang Hyeon-jong and his club, Kia Tigers, after the pitcher was found to have worn an electronic device capable of relaying pictures back to a TV screen in the dugout. The KBO announced that the device had been worn during a game against Doosan Bears on 30 October. The KBO said that it had issued similar sanctions against Kia Tigers in September 2016.

In September this year, the US Baseball Commissioner fined Boston Red Sox for using an ‘electronic device’ to relay signals given by the New York Yankees catcher to a Sox coach in the dugout. However, it dismissed a counter-complaint from the Sox that the Yankees had improperly used the YES TV Network to decipher Sox signs. It is understood that the Sox used an Apple watch to relay information from the dugout to the batter about what type of pitch was about to be thrown.