Sara Takanashi, who participated in the Beijing Olympics, a new event of ski jumping held on the 7th, and was disqualified for violating the regulations of the suit, said on her SNS on the night of the 8th, "Please, the wonderful competition of ski jumping is confused. I sincerely hope that it will be a place where players and teams can enjoy each other purely. "
In the mixed team, a total of five players, including Takanashi and top overseas players, were disqualified for violating suit regulations.
Why did such an unusual situation occur?
What is a suit "violation of regulations" in the first place?
How is the inspection done?
Reporter Yuri Numata, who is in charge of jumping in the sports news department, who is interviewing the site, answers.
What happened on the stage once every four years?
(Reporter Numata)
An unusual situation that occurred in the new ski jumping event "Mixed Group".
I was interviewing at the competition venue.
The mixed group consists of two men and two men.
Japan was expected to win a medal.
I felt that the first ace player, Takanashi, suddenly made a big jump over 100 meters, and the expectation for the medal increased at once in the field.
However, I received information that I was disqualified after a while.
I was disqualified for violating the suit's regulations, saying that "the circumference of the thighs of the suit was 2 cm larger than the regulations".
Takanashi's chest was tightened when she saw her tears and repeatedly answered "I'm sorry".
What do you mean by "violation of suit regulations"?
(Numata reporter)
I'm not very familiar with it.
First of all, if the size of the jumping suit does not fit your body, the air resistance will change, which will affect the flight distance.
In other words, wearing a large suit increases air resistance and is often advantageous.
The International Ski Federation will rigorously check for violations in accordance with the equipment regulations.
If you wear a suit that does not meet the regulations, you will be disqualified.
According to the regulations of the International Ski Federation, athletes are also measured for "height", "crotch length", "arm length", "neck size", etc., and check whether the suit is the appropriate size for each body part. That's right.
How is the test actually done?
(Reporter Numata)
Measurements taken by athletes wearing suits are performed in an upright position.
It is said that it must fit every part of the body.
According to the materials posted on the website of the Ski Association of Japan, for example, when measuring a suit,
"measure the outside", "check that the suit is straight and flat and free of wrinkles", or "keep your feet 40 cm apart". And you have to stretch your legs completely. "
However, it is unusual for five people to be disqualified on the Olympic stage.
Teams and players know the strict inspection, right?
(Reporter Numata)
I know that the inspection will be conducted not only by the players but also by the team.
Suits are usually inspected before a match or after the first jump, but not everyone is inspected.
It is done "only for randomly selected people".
In the case of Takanashi, he participated in the same suit that he wore in his personal normal, but it violated the regulations.
It's only one day.
I'm surprised.
On the other hand, when I interviewed Chiga Yoshida, the race director of the International Ski Federation, "The measurement method is the same as usual. Since there are only 10 team players limited to team competitions, not individual competitions, most of the athletes are unannounced. Because of the inspection, many violations of the regulations may have occurred. "
It seems that the fact that most of the athletes were inspected led to a series of violations.
Why did the regulations violate one after another at this Olympics?
(Reporter Numata)
I think the point is the climate of the area where the jumping platform was built.
Although it is a jumping platform built for the Beijing Games, it is located at an altitude of 1650 meters and the air is thin and dry.
Around 8 pm when the first jump was made, the temperature was around -10 degrees Celsius and the humidity was 38 percent.
There was a severe cold near the jumping hill.
When I was interviewing, it was so cold that my eyelashes would freeze in about 10 minutes, and even if I put on two socks and put on gloves, my limbs were cold and hurt.
According to Japan national team coach Tomoharu Yokokawa, the size of the suit tends to affect the flight distance because the air is thin and it is difficult to obtain buoyancy.
It is said that there are many cases where the powerhouses competing for medals wear "barely regulated" suits.
In the case of Japanese athletes, it is said that strength training is done before the game to keep the muscles tense before participating in the race, but the air is dry and the water in the body is easily released, so it is cold. I analyze that my muscles have become easier to contract.
It's possible that the suit's regulations overlapped with all the factors, such as climate and shape maintenance.
What is the reaction of overseas media and players to this situation?
(Reporter Numata)
In the mixed team, in addition to Germany's Katharina Althaus, who won the silver medal at the individual women's normal hill, two people were disqualified in Norway.
Norwegian coach Christian Mayer expressed anger and said, "The suit inspection for the day is really weird. It's too strict and there can't be an Olympic match like this."
A German newspaper also reported that "this also affected many other athletes, basically the whole competition, and perhaps the image and application of the rules for ski jumping."
The ripples are spreading, but it's hard for the players, isn't it?
(Numata reporter)
That's right.
However, Japan national team player Yukiya Sato said, "We are playing under so many rules. Even if this happens, it is not the fault of that person, but the result of the match."
Suits are also a strategy for jumping.
However, in a normal World Cup, it is unlikely that five people will violate the rules of suits one after another.
I hope this never happens again.
<Message posted by Takanashi SNS>
This time, I was disqualified from the mixed gender team and took away the chance of medals for all the Japanese teams, and the result that deeply disappoints everyone who has supported the team and everyone who has been involved and supported there. I am very sorry that it has become.
It's an undeniable fact that my disqualification has changed everyone's life.
Even if I apologize, the medals will not come back
and I do not think that I can take responsibility, but
I need to think about my future competition.
I deeply regret having done such a difficult thing.
And I would like to thank Mr. Yuki, Mr. Kobayashi, Mr. Ryoyu, the members of the Japanese team, and the staff who continued to support me until the very end even though I couldn't get the medal because of me. I can't finish it.
Thank you so much for accepting me like this.
I'm really sorry this time.
Sara Takanashi
If I can say that I am not in a position to say, I
sincerely hope that the wonderful competition of ski jumping is not a mess but a place where players and teams can enjoy each other purely.
(* From Takanashi's Instagram. Partially corrected)