The Japan Skating Federation has changed some of the selection criteria for speed skating athletes who have achieved good results in this season's World Cup and are sure to be the representatives of the Beijing Olympics, due to the strengthening of border measures for the new coronavirus. , I have decided to make a decision as a representative even if I do not participate in the representative selection meeting at the end of the year.

The Japan Skating Federation has participated in the 1st to 4th rounds of the World Cup this season as a selection criterion for the Beijing Olympics representatives of speed skating, and has achieved stable and good results such as being in the 3rd place on average. It was said that he would be appointed as a representative on condition that he would participate in the representative selection meeting to be held in Nagano City from the 29th of this month.



Five players, including Miho Takagi and Nao Kodaira, who achieved good results in the World Cup in light of the selection criteria, were sure to make a decision as a representative, but the Japan Skating Federation has confirmed the influence of the new mutant virus "Omicron strain" of the new corona. As the border measures were strengthened and players returning from the World Cup had to wait for 14 days, we decided to change some of the selection criteria and make it a representative appointment even if we do not participate in the selection meeting. rice field.



Regarding the selection criteria for other players, as a general rule, we have decided to preferentially select the players who participated in the World Cup, which has cut the dispatch standard time set by the federation at the selection meeting.



In addition, players who have not participated in the World Cup will be eligible for selection if the dispatch standard time is reached.