Yoshimura’s infidelity, blackmailing Mizutani Jun… “Special Circumstances” that keep table tennis players in trouble.
Masaharu Yoshimura, a men’s table tennis player ( 29 ) has been causing a stir with reports of his infidelity.
Recently, there have been many reports of private disturbances among athletes, and it seems that there are many of them, especially in the field of table tennis. 21 Ai Fukuhara ( 33 (33) in 2009, and the affair of Ai Fukuhara (33) in 2008. Also 19 In 1964, Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Jun Mizutani ( 33 (33), a gold medalist in the Tokyo Olympics, kissed a woman who worked at a members-only club, and was blackmailed by the woman’s boyfriend, who reported the incident to the police.
Why are table tennis players so targeted? We were curious about this point, so we interviewed reporters who are familiar with the sports situation.
The first reason, I think, is the gap between the players’ awareness and the public’s attention. It is hard to put it this way, but in the past, table tennis was a very low profile sport, and not many people paid attention to it. However, with the increase in the number of popular players such as Ai, Mizutani, and Mimonari Ito, as well as the efforts of the Table Tennis Association itself to revamp its image by brightening the color of the ping-pong tables, the popularity of the sport has increased dramatically.
However, the players’ awareness has not kept up with the rapid changes. The older players in particular are not yet aware that they are celebrities, and the sudden increase in the number of fans may have made them soar, even though the sport had not been very popular in the past as a simple sport. Therefore, they are less cautious and are more likely to be scooped than in other sports, which may be one of the reasons for the continuing reports of table tennis players having affairs.
The most important factor, however, is the commercialization of table tennis.
The Japan Table Tennis Association, in an effort to strengthen the popularity and ability of table tennis, has established the Japan Table Tennis Association (JTTPA). In 18 In other words, table tennis has become a business. In other words, table tennis has become a business. This has enabled many sponsors to come to Japan, and players are now able to secure income and a good training environment to some extent in Japan.
However, when sponsors are involved, players are naturally expected to maintain a clean image. This time, it is said that Yoshimura’s affair was an open secret within the table tennis world. It seems that the table tennis association has been so intent on dispelling their humble image that they have neglected to take measures to change the mindset of the players,” said a sportswriter.
(Sportswriter) “The fame tax is more expensive than anything else.
Interview and text: Nanako
Born in Ehime Prefecture. After working at a broadcasting station, she became a freelance writer. She specializes in interviews with celebrities and analysis of popular events, and is always checking out serial dramas and popular Japanese movies. She is a well-known beautiful writer in the magazine industry.
Photo: Nakashiman Isuke/Afro