What’s wrong?” Korean Reporter’s Response to Judo’s Nagase’s “Podium Incident” and the “Cultural Differences” that Emerge

The scene at the awards ceremony for Takanori Nagase, 30, who became the first man in history to win back-to-back Olympic titles in the men’s 81kg judo weight class, unexpectedly attracted a lot of attention.

When the podium was being taken for commemorative photos, it was not Nagase but bronze medalist Lee Jung-hwan (Korea, 22) who presented his medal at the very front of the podium. Nagase gave up her best position to him and held up her gold medal half a step behind him with a calm expression on her face.

Silver medalist Tato Grigarashvili (Georgia, 24), who competed in the final, seemed to try again and again to lead Nagase, the champion, forward, but in the end it was Lee and Somon Makhmadbegov (Tajikistan, 25), who also won the bronze medal, who stood out. Nagase had won three consecutive medals and two consecutive golds, so he must have been concerned about his first medal winner (a reporter from a national newspaper who was covering the event there).

A champion giving flowers to his rivals. It is a very heartwarming scene, but some in Japan said, “Lee Joon-hwan is pushing Nagase to the front. In response to this situation, a Korean media reporter covering judo at the Paris Olympics had this to say.

Before the match, Lee was enthusiastic, saying, ‘I’ve been practicing hard for this day since I was a student,’ and after the match, he humbly reflected on the result, saying, ‘I still wasn’t good enough. Nevertheless, she won a medal at her first Olympics, so her joy was immeasurable. It would be no wonder if he was so excited at the awards ceremony.

Even in the unlikely event that Lee pushed Nagase away in order to stand out, what in the world was wrong with that?　It is natural for a 22-year-old to want to share his joy with his family and the public. Makhmad Begov was there before Nagase, too.　Sports is a competitive world. It was the attitude of always moving forward and ahead that brought Lee’s medal-winning feat so close. Nagase did not complain and gave it up with a smile, so I don’t think there is any problem at all.

On the other hand, a Japanese judo journalist had this to say.

Japanese players tend to value judo as a martial art, not just a sport, more than players from other countries. In fact, they tend to dislike judo that aims for points, and often risk their lives in order to get an ippon.

Yes, it may be necessary for athletes to stand out, but athletes who are trying to master the path do not pay much attention to their behavior outside the tatami. I don’t know if Nagase’s behavior on the podium was conscious, but I am sure that such mentality is etched into the minds of Japanese judo athletes. An athlete who goes forward and a seeker who concentrates everything on the tatami mat. This is a cultural difference, so to speak, and I am not sure which is right. But I would like to assert that Nagase’s behavior was beautiful.”

Perhaps the ability to sense cultural differences through sports is one of the best parts of international competitions.