Beijing Olympics-At the end of breakthroughs and turmoil-February 21, 17:09
The Beijing Olympics in winter, which was held only half a year after the Tokyo Olympics, while the new coronavirus did not converge.
The 17 days of strict measures ended.
In this tournament, there were many scenes that could be regarded as "confused", such as a series of violations of suit regulations in ski jumping, figure skating, and doping problems over Camilla Wariewa of the Russian Olympic Committee.
Even under these circumstances, Japanese athletes made a big leap by winning 18 medals, the highest number in history at the Winter Olympics.
Could the Olympic Games, which was held under the slogan of "One-way Future (both to the future)" with clear "light and shadow", show the way to the future?
(Olympic coverage team)
Corona Olympics
["Chinese-style bubble" thorough infection control]
The Olympic Games at the Corona War following the Tokyo Games.
Infection control measures with "Zero Corona" were thoroughly implemented everywhere.
The PCR test conducted at the airport in Beijing was taken with a stationary camera, and a metal gate was installed at the entrance and exit of the hotel where the press and others stayed.
In addition, the press and tournament officials only made a round trip between the competition venue and the hotel by a designated bus or car.
[Missing a series of medal candidates]
While thorough infection control measures were taken, there were also a number of players who missed due to a positive corona test.
In the ski jumping girls, gold medal candidate Marita Kramer (Austria) was tested positive before leaving for China.
Vincent Zhou (USA), who was expected to win a medal in the men's figure skating single, was judged positive after participating in the final of the group and missed the individual match.
Since January 23, the Games Organizing Committee has been counting the number of players and team members who tested positive when they arrived at the airport in Beijing or in a bubble called "closed loop" until February 19. The total number of people has reached 185.
At the large-scale international tournament of Corona, the difficulty of securing participation opportunities after thoroughly implementing infection control measures and ensuring the safety of athletes became clear again.
What is the sustainability of the Winter Olympics?
[Some voices question and criticize "artificial snow"]
This tournament emphasizes the attitude of emphasizing environmental measures.
In terms of management, criticism was also given to the "artificial snow" at ski and snowboard venues.
At venues such as snowboarding in Zhangjiakou, about 160 kilometers away from Beijing, about 90% of the course was covered with artificial snow.
However, experts have criticized whether making artificial snow using a large amount of water in areas where there is little snow is a sustainable Olympic Games.
Expert
"Dry climate creates a virtuous cycle in which more water is used by artificial snow."
He pointed out that precious water that should be used for irrigation and domestic water is deprived.
Convention Organizing Committee
"The amount of water required for artificial snow is limited and does not affect water resources or ecosystems."
Can the Olympics, which rely on artificial snow, be said to be "clean and sustainable"?
It was a tournament where the challenges of the Winter Olympics were faced.
"Rules" Tournament where the basis was questioned
[Disqualified for violating suit regulations]
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
The appearance of Sara Takanashi, who cries while apologizing, may have tightened the hearts of many people.
Takanashi was disqualified from the ski jumping mixed group due to a violation of suit regulations.
In the jumping competition, a player randomly selected for each match measures the length of the crotch and the length of the arm, and confirms whether the suit is the appropriate size for each part of the body.
Some athletes will be disqualified for violating suit regulations in the World Cup, but it was unusual for five to be disqualified in one of the Olympic events (one in four athletes disqualified).
According to Tomoharu Saito, the Japanese ski coach, Takanashi has said that he was measured differently than before.
Questions were raised one after another from players from each country.
"Measured in a completely different way"
"The inspection on this day is strange"
Everyone knows that you have to follow the rules set by sports.
However, I couldn't keep silent this time.
The person in charge who checked the suit based on these complaints replied:
"I'm not doing anything different. Rules are rules and apply to everyone."
On the other hand, Japanese coach Saito has announced that he will submit his opinion to the International Ski Federation on the ideal way of inspection.
Japan Ski Representative Tomoji Saito
"It is important to make the inspection fair in order to make the tournament clear."
[Snowboarding Mysterious Judges]
Snowboarding rules (scoring) were controversial at this tournament.
This is the second run of Ayumu Hirano, who won the gold medal in the halfpipe.
She skated with almost no mistakes in difficult acting composition, such as deciding the big skill "Triple Cork 1440".
However, the score did not increase, and booing occurred from the staff of the overseas team and the people involved at the venue.
Hirano complained about what a half-pipe judge should be, for which no objective scoring criteria have been shown.
Ayumu Hirano
"I think we should prepare something that can measure height and skill, and I think we are in an era of creating something like a system that measures as a competition."
An official of the International Ski Federation has revealed that these issues will be considered by the technical committee of each competition in the future.
He also said, "I think there are some events that will be discussed and considered" regarding the introduction of "AI" for objective judgment.
[Ambiguity of the rules]
Akito Watabe of Nordic Combined, who won two bronze medals in this tournament in five consecutive tournaments, pointed out that "the ambiguity of the winter competition has come out" based on his abundant experience. did.
Akito Watabe
"Regarding suits, human body shapes change every day. For example, it is necessary to give a yellow card to the player who violated and be careful next time."
Furthermore, about the scoring competition
"Unlike the easy-to-understand track and field time, I'm not sure why the score was given. I think it's the Olympics where the ambiguity of the winter competition is coming out."
15-year-old Doping problem over Wariewa
The basis of the "fairness" of these sports was the doping issue surrounding figure skating ROC = Russian Olympic Committee player Camilla Wariewa.
During the Olympics, it was revealed that she had a positive test for banned drugs in a doping test she received at the Games last December.
The CAS = Court of Arbitration for Sport has issued a decision to allow Wariewa to continue to participate in the tournament, considering that he is a "guardian required" under the age of 16.
The IOC treats the results of the gold medal-winning group and the fourth-placed women's single as "provisional."
However, such a series of responses attracted various voices from players, related parties, and even the world.
There were also a series of severe criticisms.
"Positive is positive"
"Principles should be followed without exception"
"If fairness is not maintained, there is no point in competing"
Shin Asakawa, Managing Director of Japan Anti-Doping Agency, pointed out that the CAS decision was "unusual."
Shin Asakawa, Managing Director
"The ability of athletes suspected of doping at the Olympics, the best sports festival, to continue to compete cannot be unusual from an anti-doping perspective. There remains a major problem in the history of the Olympics. right"
In response to a series of problems, Chairman Bach said, "I would like to take the initiative to launch a debate on whether it is appropriate to set a minimum age," and mentioned the possibility of raising the age limit for athletes participating in the Olympic Games.
The ISU = International Skating Union has also made a move.
Regarding figure skating, he announced that he would propose to the general meeting in June to raise the age limit for senior competitions such as the Olympics from the current 15 years old to 17 years old.
It is expected that the World Anti-Doping Agency will conduct an investigation to clarify the actual situation, but no matter what conclusions are drawn, it will still cast a big "shadow" on the Beijing Games.
Players who are making insatiable efforts toward the big stage once every four years.
The competition should be held with fairness, fairness, and open inspections and rules so that the efforts will be rewarded.
There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed promptly so as not to spoil the appeal of the Olympics and competitions.
Shining players
[Last Olympics] The Olympics where a
big "shadow" was clearly visible.
Still, the protagonists shone light as if to drown it out.
The last male figure of a world-class star was very moving.
Shaun White (USA) of the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe.
At the Olympic Games, he won gold medals in three tournaments up to the last Pyeongchang tournament.
He has been at the top of the world for many years, but his knees and hips aren't as good as he has announced his retirement for the Beijing Games.
He was fourth on the final stage and didn't win a medal, but after the last run, the crowd and the press gave him big applause and cheers.
White, who had tears in his eyes, ended his competitive life by telling the press.
Shaun White
"I'm proud of my slip. I'm also proud to be here for the fans who support me. Snowboarding was my life."
[Rising young power]
Young players also emerged and shined.
18-year-old Eileen Gu (China), who won three medals, two gold and one silver in ski freestyle, is a top athlete but also a fashion model, and she went on to the prestigious Stanford University in the United States. I plan to do it.
Her world's gaze was focused on her success, and she was extremely popular, especially in China.
She had a Chinese mother and an American father and was born and raised in San Francisco.
She spoke in her heart, with some criticisms from the American media.
Eileen Gu
"I want to be a force to promote exchanges between the two major powers, the United States and China."
Nicknamed "Princess on the Snow" at the Games, he became a world star in both name and reality at the Olympic Games.
Japan's record-breaking medal factor
The number of medals won by Japanese athletes at the Beijing Games has made a big leap to 18.
Miho Takagi of speed skating won a 1000m gold medal and three silver medals.
In the snowboarding men's halfpipe, Ayumu Hirano is the first gold medal in this event.
Ryoyu Kobayashi, a ski jumping boy, won a gold medal at the individual normal hill and a silver medal at the individual large hill.
The Japanese national team for curling girls advanced to the final for the first time and won the silver medal.
This tournament is the fruit of the strengthening measures of each competition group.
In speed skating, which won five medals including Miho Takagi, the efforts started seven years ago have steadily led to results.
In addition, the Nordic combined group also succeeded in strengthening and won the medal for the first time in 28 years.
[Strengthening with the "national team"]
In speed skating, all medals for this tournament were won by athletes training in the "national team".
National team players used to practice with their teams, but most of them have been practicing with the national team since seven years after the Sochi tournament, when leading players couldn't win medals.
The period reaches almost 300 days or more in a year.
Johan de Withead coach invited from the skating powerhouse Netherlands.
In addition, there are specialized coaches for short and long distances, and the environment has been improved by receiving physical treatment and nutritional support.
Above all, the fact that the top level in Japan continued to practice in the same place created a competitive consciousness that "I don't want to lose."
Miho Takagi, who has been training in the national team since its formation, talks about the effect.
Miho Takagi
"I feel that there is a lot of stimulation and mutual help between the players in the invisible place. I am able to train in a high quality place in everything."
[Overcoming weaknesses] In
ski competitions, Nordic combined led to strengthening.
The "group" medal was the first achievement in 28 years since the 1994 Lillehammer tournament.
Japan, which was 4th in the previous tournament, did not stand on the podium in any of the past three tournaments in the world championships.
The common cause was that they couldn't compete with the powerhouses in the latter half of the cross country.
Japan added young players to the national team and thoroughly trained their individual running ability in the four years toward the Beijing Games.
Especially strengthened was Ryota Yamamoto, the youngest player on the team, who was 24 years old.
Japan national team head coach Takanori Kono thought that it was important to seek a run that efficiently conveys power to skis in order to compete with Europeans who are superior in physique to Japan, which has many small players.
Yamamoto has secured a lot of cross-country practice time and continued steady training in order to learn how to use muscles.
Head coach Kono felt a response, saying, "We have been able to raise the bottom. Overall, our running ability has improved."
The bronze medal, which was obtained in the new form of "winning in cross-country skiing" from the way of fighting to make a difference by jumping and running away in cross-country skiing, was a big step leading to a leap forward.
Bright signs Challenges for the future
Looking at the breakthroughs of young people, 17-year-old snowboard big air player Kokomo Murase won the youngest Japanese women's medal at the Winter Olympics, and 18-year-old Yuma Kagiyama won a silver medal in a men's single in figure skating. Won.
These teenage leap was a bright sign not only for the "Milan Cortina d'Ampezzo Tournament" four years later, but also for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, which Sapporo City is aiming to invite.
However, on the other hand, the “rule ambiguity” and “doping problem” that were highlighted at this tournament are required to clearly show the path to the future.
"People who are competing are living and taking risks."
Snowboarder Ayumu Hirano complained.
In order for all the people involved in the Olympic Games, including athletes, to move forward (one-sided future) together, it is necessary for not only the IOC but also international sports organizations to face challenges with a sense of speed.